Learning to Engrave

[LRB]

I am not worthy of wiping the sweat from Jerry's forehead when it comes to engraving, but I can get by as well as many of the early original American makers. Here is a shot of nearly all my tools, and a few shots of what can be done with them. Many of my tools are homemade, but I buy most of the graver blanks locally. My hammer is a modified tack hammer weighing in at 3 1/2 oz. total weight. Flat graver is a piece from a file slightly back tempered. I don't have many more. I sharpen on an Arkasas stone useing the Crocker jig, and finish wit 600 grit wet & dry paper and a touch or two on green rouge on a piece of hard maple.

 

[hoochiepapa]

Ohmygosh,I can only dream!
I have sent in my money to enroll in the engraver's class in Friendship. If I can, with time, even come close to the artistry that is shown on this web site, I will die happy.
I have set a goal, and it's to be the best gunmaker I can possibly be. And that goal includes but is not exclusive to good engraving. My dad tried to do it and failed. I won't fail.
Thanks to all who have supported me and others like me.

 

[hoochiepapa]

Wick, Those are palm gravers, how do you use them with a chasing hammer? I have tried with my dad's old stuff, and it just drives the graver deeper into the handle.

 

[Capt. Fred]

That's real classy work Wick. I've seen those before and I never really looked closely at the trigger guard. Sweet! :thumbsup:

 

[LRB]

I use the palm gravers for fine detail as in shading lines, and for cleaning up chisle cuts when necessary. Which is often. It is good to practice with them also. I also do nick and dot borders useing the flat palm graver. Palm gravers are a b*t#h to master. I never have. The hammer is far easier, but for me anyway, it has it's limitations. The first two of Lynton McKenzies videos advanced my skills by leaps and bounds. First try after watching them.

 

[jerrywh]

Wick Ellerby
You do a real nice job with your home made tools. I admire your stuff. There were two real great engravers in the past decade who used nothing much better. One was Frank Hendrix and the other was Lynton McKenzie. You can do as good as anybody in the wolrld with those kind of tool it just takes a lot longer.
All the great Italian engravers use not much more than that and a small magnifying glass. But they are slow in comparison.

 

[silhouette4570]

Mike, try this web site and see if this power system is more in your price range: http://www.ngraver.com/

 

[hoochiepapa]

Thanks Jack! Gotta start somewhere, huh? And my lovely bride will be happier with the price.
And welcome to the forum!! :hatsoff:

 

[silhouette4570]

Thanks Mike, I've been here quite awhile but just lurking.

 

[Rhett Griffith]

One thing that I have found is that it is important to keep in practice. If I engrave a little each day for a couple of weeks, I am almost pleased with the results. If I take a break for a couple of months and then try to engrave something, it looks like junk.

 

[4570tc]

what ever happened to the that guy that was going to teach us about engraving? I forgot all about it?

 

[silhouette4570]

Mike Brines, Google Ngraver and see if that's more what you're looking for price wise. Like you I'm a hobbyist and can't afford a $3000 outfit. The Ngraver is about a sixth of that. The pros will rightly say it's not suitable for them, but, hey, it's fine for guys like us.

Jack

 

[hoochiepapa]

Yessir, I already did, and it looks like that might be where I start-unless I win the lottery. :rotf: