He used to do hand carved feet and he actually had a display rack that he would show me. These are the four feet that he could carve for you out of a wooden block and he could carve it right down to the toenails. That was fantastic to see. That was his trade-secret., You wanted a foot - he wasn't going to show how to make it. But if you came to him, he'd make you one and that's where everyone has his little secrets. |
It's the gratification from the fact that I can take somebody who is in dire need to improve on their lives and I can make that improvement. |
Once the socket is fit to where the patient is comfortable in the socket, then what we do is take the wooden block and start shaping the corners. We start shaping it to look like a thigh, so this is what we start with in the beginning is a basic block. |
We use some draw knifes, where you can actually put the wooden block between your legs and you have a set of draw knifes and they will dig into the wood and pull up. We use some hand routers, we also have electric routers, but a lot of it is specialty hand tools, they're wood working tools that you actually get in there and chisel away some of the wood. |
You know, you're trying to please too many people. From the patient on the leg, to the family members, to the physician to the insurance carrier. And it's all got to be done tomorrow. |