Scrimshawing, to the point.

[musketman]

I have a scrimshawing question, what point is best to Scrimshaw with and why?

I have three points at my disposial: (I'm not allowed to use knives, Mrs. Musketman's rule)

A cut nail that I can heat up and hammer to a point. (far left)

I have a sewing machine needle:

And the tips of my fly tying scissors:

Which of these three would be my best choice?

 

[Griz]

of the 3, I would probably pick the sewing needles. However, I use and Exacto knife for really fine lines and then I use a electric engraver ( the kind for engraving metal) with a light touch for everything else when I do powder horns. The exacto knife is best for straight lines in horns because of the grain in the horn, the engraver will do the curves much better because the vibrating point will go through the grain better than the knife. What is it you are scrimshawing?

 

[musketman]

What is it you are scrimshawing?

A powder horn, but I have a killer whale tooth that I found washed ashore some 20+ years ago in South Carolina...

Note: the tooth I have has been confirmed as being from a killer whale, I did not pull it, I stepped on it in the sand...

I wanted to try my hand at scrimshawing on horns before I tackle the tooth, never got the nerve to try it until lately...

 

[Stumpkiller]

Neat tooth!

I'm with Griz - a #11 Xacto blade. I also have some triangular cross-section glovers needles and sailmakers needles that work well (MUCH harder on the fingers unless you use a pin vice). I did my F&I style horn with a 2"sailmakers needle I kept sharp with a stone.

A good practicing media is transparent hard plastic.

 

[2158]

hey, musketman
i bought a skrimshaw kit many years ago at a trade
fair, it contained faux ivory and coal like stick
for darking the work. in the kit it came with a carbide
tip scratch awl. i've been useing this tool since!!!
i also still use the exacto blade for fine shadeing.
i can't tell you who made it because it was in a plastic
bag with no info. maybe someone out there has some info.
later, wpalongrifle

 

[Griz]

Awesome tooth. That will make a great decoration for your hunting pouch after you get her scrimshawed. As for the color, I use waterproof india ink from an office supply store. Use a Q-tip to dab it in your design, let it dry and use 0000 steel wool to clean up the over flow. If you want color, like red, I use the BIG felt tip permanent markers, use the same procedure, dab it on and steel wool it off. Then I use a buffing wheel on a grinder with the brown compound to seal and shine the horn. The brown compound may let some brown marks on your project, I know it will let marks on a horn that I leave natural, if I don't burn with acid first.
One thing, use a magnifying glass with good light and make sure ALL the lines you want are cut in the first time. The more you have to redo the pattern and sand it off, the more chances are you will start to ruin the design. Good luck, I am waiting to see some pictures when you are finished.

 

[2172]

M-M, I'd go with the sewing machine needle. I use a leather sewing needle that I put into a wooden pencil in place of the lead...easier to hold. I've used all the other tools suggested, too, and each has a place. I ink-in the scratches using a caligraphy pen nib and waterproof ink.
Hank

 

[bob1961]

can you give us a size comparison of the tooth.....like say a quarter next to it.........................bob

 

[Zonie]

Exacto makes an aluminum handle that looks kinda like a pencil with a knurled coller where your fingers hold it.
the knurled coller actually is the outside of a small collet which can hold Exacto blades.
What is more important, some of the models of these handles have about a 3/32 dia hole in the center. This hole is for holding sharpened steel points which they also sell.
I think you can find these at a good hobby shop or an Art Store.

If your really on a Cost Control program, I would suggest you go to a Staples or Office Max and buy some of the Thumb Tacks they have for bulletin boards. I am not talking about regular Thumb Tacks. Get the ones with the 1/4 inch diameter plastic end that is about 1/2 to 5/8 inch long. They are easy to hold on to and they keep your fingers close to the work making them easy to control.

Sure hope some Save the Whale society or some "governmental protector of all that is ivory" doesn't decide your tooth is not fit for human possession like they do with Eagle feathers. ::

 

[Gary]

The swabbies who scrimshawed used a pocketknife. Find a tool you like and become good at it. Like a swabbie with nothing to look at but ocean, take your time. I put the Royal Cipher on mine and copied it off a book on the HMS Victory.

BTW, I'd use a nail that is hardened and then mount in on a wood handle to make it comfortable to use. Ron Ehlert grinds down a worn needle file into a graver bit to engrave his horns.

 

[musketman]

Thanks for the advise, I am a gifted artist in oil paint on canvas, this will be my first try at this unique art form...

There has to be a first for everything... :shocking: