Making a Comb

• 1). Hold the sheet of balsa wood in your non-dominant hand, so that the longest side of the wood is horizontal.
  
  
• 2). Pick up the fine blade or craft knife with the dominant hand. Carve vertical teeth in the wood. Start at the top of the wood and apply pressure to the blade or knife as you move the instrument down into the wood. The teeth should end up looking like thin points. Leave approximately 1 inch of wood uncarved at the bottom of the comb. This becomes the comb's handle.
  
  
• 3). Sand the rough edges of the balsa wood comb with 150-grit sandpaper. Smooth out the sides and the handle, as well as the points of the teeth. Do not round the points of the teeth. Keep them pointed, but not so sharp that they may tear the scalp.
  
  

Decorating a Comb

• 1). Paint the front and back side of the balsa wood comb with acrylic paint and paintbrushes. You can paint a pattern on the comb or just paint it one solid color. Use a small paintbrush to get in between the comb's teeth so that the color is consistent throughout. Allow the paint to dry for at least four hours.
  
  
• 2). Glue embellishments onto the handle of the comb with a hot glue gun. You can glue a small strand of craft pearls, lace or tulle trim or sequins and rhinestones to the handle. For a formal hair comb, such as one that will be worn by a bride at a wedding, you might sew together a variety of white fabrics, such as satin, lace and tulle, with a straight hand stitch, and then glue the piece on top of the comb's handle.
  
  
• 3). Consider adding decoupage to the handle of the comb instead of gluing on other embellishments. Decoupage is the process of gluing pressed flowers, leaves, images, photographs or other flattened items onto something, such as a comb, so that the two items become one. Give a comb a vintage look by doing a pressed flower decoupage with special decoupage glue and paint.