Amatuer built Generic Lancaster

[Col. Batguano]

I certainly understand that. You can take a little solace in the fact that frontier era gunsmiths were generally not master engravers, so much of their work was rather simple or coarse. Very few were of Dave Person, Jerry Huddleston, or Dave2C's skill level. Just start with the simple stuff, and practice on your practice plates a bit before you proceed to do it on an actual gun.

I don't know why, but engraving scares amateur builders way more than carving does. Engraving is nothing more than carving on a much more consistent substrate.

 

[Onojutta]

I don't know why, but engraving scares amateur builders way more than carving does. Engraving is nothing more than carving on a much more consistent substrate.

That's an easy answer. To start, gravers are a lot harder to sharpen than chisels. Chisels are easier to chase in wood and do not jump off track as easily as a graver. Some might argue that is not true of properly sharpened gravers, but that sends us back to the first point. And when a chisel does slip up, often you can sand, glue, etc. a repair. With metal there is no forgiveness. This of course assumes we're talking hand tools, because I doubt many of us, especially the amateurs, have access to quality graving machinery. So that is why this particular amateur is terrified of engraving :shocked2: :grin:

 

[Chowmif16]

For what it's worth, I have only just started engraving and am nowhere near engraving a gun yet. My first attempts were horrendous. Chicken scratch by a chicken with coordination problems.
I bought the Lindsay graver sharpening system, and it improved my work to the 1st grade level. I now know that mistakes are in my technique, and not in the sharpness of the graver.

Point is, it gave me the confidence that with practice, I could achieve the level of engraving on colonial rifles. I can almost do a straight line of consistent depth. Curves are getting better, and following the line is getting better.
If only I had the time to practice more.

Cheers,
Norm

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

I don't know why, but engraving scares amateur builders way more than carving does. Engraving is nothing more than carving on a much more consistent substrate.

What Buffalo said, except the part about quality machinery. I would bet my left arm that there are three people off the top of my head on this forum that could replicate the Sistine Chapel on a patchbox door with just a 10 penny nail chased with a brick.

Plus what Chow said about chicken scratch.

Plus:

An amateur already has a minimum of 100+ hours worth of carving and inletting experience prior to relief carving, and a minimum of 0 hours of engraving experience prior to engraving.

 

[Micah Clark]

An amateur already has a minimum of 100+ hours worth of carving and inletting experience prior to relief carving, and a minimum of 0 hours of engraving experience prior to engraving.

BINGO !! I am living proof of that statement as a newbie

 

[kaintuck]

Tomtom said this rifle is good, it does beg for small amount of metal engraving :bow:
Marc n tomtom