was “ice bending” used to fashion this spiraling sea horse? No, but given some of the things I’ve seen done with ice, I wouldn’t say it’s impossible, just REALLY unlikely.
updated 8/17/23 with an actually ice bending before and after pic, some more info, formatting, and seo
ice bending is definitely a thing
My first experience with “ice bending” was a minor hoax perpetrated by Aaron Costic. Here’s how it went. Years ago, just before a competition (probably in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania), he started a rumor that he had come up with a new technique called ice bending. Supposedly with this new technique he could quickly fashion curved pieces of ice by using the technique to bend straight pieces.
Because Aaron was beginning to win many of the competitions he entered, the idea that he had come up with a brand new technique was rather intimidating because I was going to have my hands full challenging him even if he only carved the way he normally did. I have to admit, the rumor psyched me out a bit and I was thoroughly discouraged.
As it turned out, his “technique” involved hooking up a car battery to either end of a piece of ice, at which point he could bend it. Of course, this doesn’t work and I don’t know why I believed it for even a second, as I studied biology, chemistry, and physics for four and a half years in college and ice bending never came up. I think I wanted to believe in it, just like I wanted to believe in Santa Claus when I was little (if you still believe in Santa Claus, then ignore that last sentence.)
In the end, all I remember is that I didn’t win that competition. I think Aaron did, and he didn’t have to bend a single piece of ice. The final irony, however, is that ice DOES bend and I’ve seen it, many times. But that’s another story.
in this large ice sculpture that I made with David Fong in Alaska, you can clearly see where ice bending has occurred, as part of our abstract DNA molecule has bent downward. Ice bending is a real thing and its technical name is ice creep. Not like a creepy person, but like creeping along, slowly distorting. I’ll definitely come back to this topic later!
links and stuff
This post is listed on the ice sculpting techniques page, and you could also find photos and info from this entry on the ice sculpting secrets Instagram account or the facebook page. You can comment there as well as below. And if it won’t LET you comment below, then definitely comment on fb and/or IG. Thanks!
earlier comments
The following comments were on the original blog entry. After some technical difficulties with the original website, ice carving secrets, the blog was reconstructed, and this was the only way to keep the original comments. Unfortunately, the hyperlinks from the original comments are gone. You may be able to add your own new comments at the bottom.
darren bestI
‘m looking forward to that story im curious to see ice bend myself
Wednesday, March 28, 2007 – 03:23 PM
Dawson List
It might take me a bit to get to that one, as it’s not particularly useful as a carving technique, but it is interesting. I’ll have to get some pictures to demonstrate. Thanks for your comments Darren
Thursday, March 29, 2007 – 06:54 PM
Jack Mehouffen
Practicle or not I think that would be a great secret to learn how thats done. I look forward to reading that story soom too.
Sunday, April 1, 2007 – 07:08 PM
