working in a space so crowded with nameless things wood-handled things with sharp points , and small wooden saucers filled with brightly colored waxes , brushes so fine it was hard to imagine a use for them , vises , and additions to vises , and pieces of gold chain , slivers of bright springs from watches , watch gears , some as large as dimes but mostly smaller than a nail headthat it seemed impossible that he could find the space to move his hands , opa would carve the sentiments of a lover into an engagement ring in a script so small and curlicued that it was difficult to decipher the message .