The original Prismacolor one was the blender pen. Since then, I see many engravers using the 40% gray one. It has worked for me and is easy to use, but I like the TW Transfer Magic better. That could be my old-school brain kicking in. However, to be clear, none of them will work well if you are...
You referenced using pigment ink, so I assume that you are using an inkjet, not a laser printer. Printing laser toner on paper and transferring by dampening the paper with acetone is a common transfer method when using a laser printer. When using an inkjet, dye inks do not work but pigment inks...
As mentioned above, black-leaf is not quite the same as arabesque. However, many of the same rules apply. Lee Griffiths has an online course on Arabesque design at https://lee-griffiths-s-school.teachable.com/.
Scratched bone is absorptive to some degree, which metal is not, so you probably need to think about a pigment ink, instead of a dye ink. You need something that will sit on top of the metal surface of the cuts AND adhere to them, which is why most engravers that I know use either Rustoleum flat...
Wintergreen oil is a common oil that is preferred by many because it doesn't tend to stink up the shop like some cutting oils will do. It is instructive and interesting to Google its medicinal and toxicity properties.
You will find a variety of oils are used by engravers to help their cutting along. GRS sells a Tap Magic cutting oil made for cutting aluminum, along with a tin and sponge. That one works well in steel as well and it works great cutting prescious metals [it aids in getting bright cuts], but Tap...
When you say "color fill" are you talking about blackening the line recesses with Rustoleum Flat Black Paint or Speedball black oil-based block printing ink? If so, you can apply the paint/ink with a cotton swab and press it down into the recesses. Then wipe the excess off the surface with brown...
Maybe you can plan to make the 2025 Firearms Engravers Guild of America annual show, meeting, and free class in Las Vegas next January. If you do, bring a towel to wipe the drool off your face as you look at the incredible engraved items displayed. If you like magicians, some of the best in the...
You got it. The flat registration planes do not matter when you start making a graver with round stock, except for the extra insurance if your screw ever gets loose. In that case, they help you to align the graver back where it was when you tighten the screw. Where the registration planes become...
You might benefit by attending one of the beginner week-long engraver courses at the GRS Training Center www.grs.com or the Texas Engraving Schoo http://www.crashcourseengraving.com/l. Ray Cover is another well-recognized source. https://learningtoengrave.com/. These incredibly intense and fun...
Perhaps I am misunderstanding you. The higher grit used on the graver heel, or higher polish if polished, will make the cut surface be more smooth and, thus, more reflective. If I am correctly viewing this photo, you are holding your flat graver with the heel surface more horizontal than the...