Any engravers here?

Ian

Ian

Notorious member
Nobody here has ever talked about it that I recall but with all the talent present I would think someone has at least tried it. There are a few guns in the safe I'd like to engrave so it's time to learn how.

First thing I learned is I can't afford most of the equipment, but I have a lathe, a bunch of stainless steel round bar, and an air compressor with a 250-gallon tank.
 
Mitty38

Mitty38

Well-Known Member
Ian said:
Nobody here has ever talked about it that I recall but with all the talent present I would think someone has at least tried it. There are a few guns in the safe I'd like to engrave so it's time to learn how.

First thing I learned is I can't afford most of the equipment, but I have a lathe, a bunch of stainless steel round bar, and an air compressor with a 250-gallon tank.
Click to expand...
I tried to get into it one time.:rolleyes:You do not want my advice. LOL
Cept' maybe one bit....
Think I would start with that receiver I sent you, back when.
Can't mess that one up too bad.
 
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Mitty38

Mitty38

Well-Known Member
I forgot about that. Ye, you did do a color case hardening on it.
Course you would not hurt it much by annealing and carving on it. Might make a nice lamp?
 
L Ross

L Ross

Well-Known Member
In the process of creating an early English trade gun for my wife, I copied an original in the Museum Of the Fur Trade. The serpent plate opposite the lock was not cast but was engraved. I made a graver and did it my self. Of course brass was pretty easy. I have allowed the brass to tarnish on purpose over the 25 or so years since I built it.fullsizeoutput_77c.jpeg
 
Joshua

Joshua

Taco Aficionado/Salish Sea Pirate/Part-Time Dragon
Twenty years ago I watched a demo at a blacksmith conference.

I’ve done relief cut wood block printing, which is vaguely related, in theory.

I’ve always wanted to do some inlaid work, which is basically engraving and then trapping a dissimilar material under the burr of the engraved line.

I’ve done a little chase and repousse work. Which also shares some similarities.

But, no I’ve never fallen down that rabbit hole.

Have fun!

Josh
 
Missionary

Missionary

Well-Known Member
I did one steel butte plate for our 34" barreled 45-90. Figure looks like a big ol' Shaggy standing minding his own business. Patterned it off our beautiful old Buffalo nickels.
After hours of tapping on a home made wedge cutter I was reminded my artistic abilities and desires are rather limited.
 
P

popper

Well-Known Member

Critique Request - Tiffany money clip

Hi Matthew- I've been following this thread and the only suggestion I'd make is either keep all the leaves inside the scroll or have one or two more spill over into the next. You've got just one leaf doing that in/over the first scroll (ok, kinda two if you count the leaf structure where the...
engraverscafe.com
Interesting thread with lots of design comments. Not at all like freehand pin striping.
I tried inlaying on an old 22 rifle with an exacto, filled the groove with plastic steel. pretty crummy.
 
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Ian

Ian

Notorious member
Nice, Jim. That's what I'm talking about. I assume you did all that with a hammer?
 
JWFilips

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Hammer and my, own mostly hand made engraving tools. I had a friend who was a machinist and he used to give me all his broken and worn down cutting tools! I could only use the smaller stock tools he gave me but I had a bunch of stuff I never could use so when Brad got his lathe He got a present!
I am Only a Chiseler! I can not push engrave to save my life! ( that is the simplest form of engraving) But then again I do raised relief wood carving with ease but I I can not incise engrave! Go figure!
I'm self taught in Engraving and wood carving and pretty much building flintlocks. By the time I started hanging out at Dixon's Muzzle loading Fair I had built a number of guns So when I sat in on all the longrifle building seminars I didn't learn all that much...But I sure learned a lot sharpen my cutting tools! And I did learn a bunch on Flintlock Geometry and how it should feel in your hand if you held the lock and fired it.
All my clients always told me they never seen a flint lock fire that quickly...So I was quite proud of that!
What I learned a whole lot about was Restoration & Conservation of old weapons. Leaned all that From A Nice English Chap who held the title of "Armorer" His Name was Kit Ravenshear! I could listen and watch him for hours ( and usually did)
Now I heard that Dixon's Muzzleloading Fair Has been canceled forever..... It had a long run and folks are getting old
I met a lot of talented 18th Century type builders there
 
Rockydoc

Rockydoc

Well-Known Member
Ian, I tried to do a little engraving back when I built my flintlock, but I gave that up quickly. I was not good at it. So, I think I have some engraving tools leftover from back then and you are welcome to them if you want them and if I can find them. I am out of town, not at home right now but I will look for those tools when I get back home next week if you are interested.
Rocky
 
JWFilips

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Ian,
I am a p-iss poor teacher, but If you need some pointers I will do my best!
It all comes down to 95% a properly sharpened tool! The other 5% is luck / skill ! Oh yes they are interchangeable.
Also knowing what you need to do ( at least for 17th / 18th century engraving)
An English gun needs all the Screw heads done as flowers and the screw head Temper blued!
An American gun was pretty simple hand engraving ( nothing too fancy)
Now a German Gonne!
Man they were crazy! They mixed 17th C Baroque and 18C Rococo art They also were fond of Grotesques!
I think the drink had a lot to do with it! ( Funny I fit well into this catagory!)
 
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