Once the block of rubber has been cooked under pressure, the rubber hardens.

The next step in the process requires that the metal model be cut out of the rubber. This image shows a can opener, the mold, the front piece of the model, a razor sharp scalpel knife, and my left thumb and fingers. The mold can be 'hooked' by the can opener and tension applied to the rubber by pulling.

Do not attempt to cut molds using the method pictured here. It can be dangerous and lead to injury and even death.

Other safer methods include using a mold clamping machine which spreads the mold by a series of screws, a butcher's metal gauntlet, or a metal clamp which gets the mold cutters 'holding' hand away from the scalpel in the 'cutting' hand.

Once the two halves of the mold have been separated the metal model is removed and the mold is ready for injection with wax. In this way the original sculpture can be reproduced in wax.