Engraving - Practice

[BillEllis]

I'm no where near as good as I want to be, so I practice when I can. The following example is a bit different in style because it is more crowded and detailed. I'd give it a 6/10. This particular pattern is going on the bolsters of a knife I picked up as a practice piece. I'll show it when it's finished.

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Here's some perspective on the actual size:

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[walto]

I'm no where near as good as I want to be, so I practice when I can. The following example is a bit different in style because it is more crowded and detailed. I'd give it a 6/10. This particular pattern is going on the bolsters of a knife I picked up as a practice piece. I'll show it when it's finished.

That looks absolutely stunning. I rate it 10/10.

 

[Joe Edson]

Love your work Bill!!

Someday (maybe in several years...lol) I will look for a custom.

 

[BCatl]

Wonderful. I admire people who have the patience to learn things like this. Keep up the good work.

 

[benb]

That is pretty amazing!

 

[luvmysuper]

Doesn't look like you need any practice to me, that's gorgeous work.

As an aside - anyone know the process used to get the relief color on the background? Is there a chemical used to darken engraved or etched steel?
Just curious.

 

[BillEllis]

Doesn't look like you need any practice to me, that's gorgeous work.

As an aside - anyone know the process used to get the relief color on the background? Is there a chemical used to darken engraved or etched steel?
Just curious.

It's a super duper highly guarded trade secret that requires signed disclosure forms filled out in triplicate and sent to the new government czar at the Department of Engraving!!

Psst... Flat black enamel Rust-Oleum at your local hardware store. It comes in 1/2 pints. Don't tell anyone I said anything.

 

[Isaac]

Do you do all this by freehand? The question relates to the patterns. Do you draw them ahead of time, or have stencils made that your using? I remember seeing saddle makers that will do similar patterns completely freehand, spur of the moment style.

 

[Toff]

Thanks for the proof that an old dog can learn new tricks! Very nice work!
Respectfully
~Richard

 

[Walker]

Thats some great work right there!!

 

[gull]

Sooooo could I get you to do work like that on my razor?

 

[DavyRay]

Bill,

I have some engraving tools recommended by Jason DuMars, for larger patterns on brass instruments. So far, I am not very good with these. Your engraving looks to include lots of straight-line work. What sort of tools are you using? This is really small scale work, and impressive.

 

[BillEllis]

That looks absolutely stunning. I rate it 10/10.

Thanks so much for the great compliment, but I will stick with the 6/10. Here's what a 10/10 would look like, as done by Christian DeCamillis.

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[BillEllis]

Do you do all this by freehand? The question relates to the patterns. Do you draw them ahead of time, or have stencils made that your using? I remember seeing saddle makers that will do similar patterns completely freehand, spur of the moment style.

There are several ways to create patterns. It's too lengthy to explain here, but you can go here to satisfy all those curiousities. I will use patterns that I transfer to steel to practice. However, my razors have to be done freehand. You'd never be able to find a pattern that would fit in the profile that I would need. Now, once I do one side, I can scan that to my computer, reverse it, and then print out the mirror design to put on the other side of the razor. Even so, all that can clearly be transferred is "outline". Detail still has to be done by winging it.

Thanks for the proof that an old dog can learn new tricks! Very nice work!
Respectfully
~Richard

Old?

Sooooo could I get you to do work like that on my razor?

How does 2020 sound?

 

[BillEllis]

Bill,

I have some engraving tools recommended by Jason DuMars, for larger patterns on brass instruments. So far, I am not very good with these. Your engraving looks to include lots of straight-line work. What sort of tools are you using? This is really small scale work, and impressive.

I get all my engraving stuff from these guys. The heart of the work is done with a GraverMach and a Magnum handpiece. I use a lot of the square gravers with a 105 degree angle at the cutting edge.

There are a couple of references to engraving I have also made here on the forum.

B&B reference #1

B&B Reference #2

B&B Reference #3

B&B Reference #4

 

[gull]

How does 2020 sound?

That's a little late! How about 2012?

 

[Jsteele]

I get all my engraving stuff from these guys. The heart of the work is done with a GraverMach and a Magnum handpiece. I use a lot of the square gravers with a 105 degree angle at the cutting edge.

There are a couple of references to engraving I have also made here on the forum.

B&B reference #1

B&B Reference #2

B&B Reference #3

B&B Reference #4

The pics look familiar Bill... LOL

Ahh... yes,the good folks at GRStools.. and the infamous Gravermach

 

[Ray-man]

Bill,
You are really doing some incredibly nice work. I saw some of your engraving about a year and a half ago and the level of skill is very noticeable. I have had a Graversmith on my to get list for several months now and will soon get it. I will be working on wood though, metal is just not an area I wish to go into. Yet...LOL.

Here is the last relief I have completed.

Ray

 

[BillEllis]

Bill,
You are really doing some incredibly nice work. I saw some of your engraving about a year and a half ago and the level of skill is very noticeable. I have had a Graversmith on my to get list for several months now and will soon get it. I will be working on wood though, metal is just not an area I wish to go into. Yet...LOL.

Here is the last relief I have completed.

Ray

I like that. Done any scales yet? If I tried to engrave something like that, it would look like a dog with horns. I'll stick with geometric stuff.

 

[BillEllis]

Well, this may not count as practice, but I guess every arteest is always looking to improve, so I'll throw this under the same banner for now. That, and I didn't want to start a whole new thread.

In case anyone is wondering. The colors on the gravers let me know, at a glance, the angles I used to sharpen the cutting tips. The blue, for instance has a 50 degree face, a 105 degree spread on the belly, and a 17 degree heel. I use them for anything where I need flair. Yellow is for general cutting like straight or slightly curved lines, green is for my specialty cuts, and white is used for lettering. All have different angles up at the tip of the graver. All the gravers you see in the pic have been dulled or chipped while working on the tang of this razor.


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