How to make money engraving?

Hi Everyone.

Some of you may know me I've been on this forum on and off for the last year or two and I was wandering if anyone could answer a couple of quick questions for me.

How do you make money engraving?

Are there any such thing as apprenticeships or traineeships left in the world? Is anyone willing to take on a new engraver and teach them the ropes? (while paying them) or at relatively little cost.

Are there any gun engraving businesses in the world that take on people? Or anything similar to that?

I reckon the world's great engravers should get someone who doesn't know that much and teach them how to perfect background removal and put them to work on their pieces so they can get more work done and the new guy would learn heaps. Odd idea i guess, hey, I'm an odd person.

I'm in Australia so a quick question to other Aussies... what type of engraving do you make the most money out of? Jewellery, knives, saddle/ bits/ spurrs? Do you engrave guns? How do you market your work?

Thanks to everyone who has a moment to post their thoughts. Much appreciated.

Danae

The jewelry world is a good place to make money. One caveat though is jewelry engraving is fast paced as you often are the last craftsman to work on a custom piece, usually right before delivery deadline. Or maybe a gift was purchased and needs some last minute inscriptions added. As for apprentices it really only works if the student is as talented or more so than the master. Otherwise it 's a baby sitting job if you are running a busy shop. Most people who have employees have to ratchet down their quality a notch to accommodate a staff of workers.

ps... just for a bit of fun if anyone doesn't know the name jake weidmann (google it)!

Awesome calligrapher.

I would suggest you learn/teach yourself script, block and roman lettering. Then learn a couple basic border styles. Once you've got these down well, create a sampler plate in brass or copper.

Take it around to every high end jewelry store within 100 miles of you. Tell them you are looking for work. Give them your card and a price list. A lot of folks will be rude or not want to talk. But a few will be impressed and ultimately start sending you work.

The hardest part is selling yourself. You've got to be confident, personable and ready to prove yourself.

What Bert said is right..but there is, or can be more. When I started as a jeweler in 1985, I wanted to learn how to engrave. Obviously, I tried push engraving, but I didn't even know how to sharpen. The first thing I would recommend is to get an easy method of sharpening. Probably the cheapest is the Lindsay Template system. I would also buy/make a sharpening hone. One made out of a drill press or electric motor would work. That way, combining the two, you can ALWAYS get the same SHARP angles on your graver.
I don't know your situation, whether you are in a city or in the country. What Bert said goes, go to stores to show your lettering etc., but here in the USA we have Farmers Markets...weekend places that for a minimal amount of money, you can set up a table and hawk your wares.
I never could learn to push engrave, and never tried hammer and chisel. I love my GRS tools, but if I had it to do over would buy the Lindsay system (don't know which one) because of their portability. Pick out several shapes and styles, and engrave earrings, pendants, bracelets, buckles etc. to sell at the farmers market. I personally prefer Sterling Silver, but Titanium is a real good choice (see Arnauds' pieces). It is inexpensive, and with a voltage rectifier, can be colored.
If you have the lindsay system, you can premake bracelets etc., and personalize them at the point of sale, the grs system requires a compressor and more stuff. You can start making money, after the initial investment in a sharpening system and air assist system, fairly quickly. That can build into a viable business.
I have some friends that wanted to buy 40 acres of land each, in Arkansas. One of them had been a commercial flower pot maker, and he taught the others how to throw pots and glaze/fire them. They began by going to the New Orleans farmers market every weekend, and as they got better began doing local Arts and Craft shows. Thay developed quite the following, and were able to buy 160 acres of land to live and work on.
If you start small, show your quality and develop a following, you will be able to establish a market for your engraving. It can be in earrings, pendants, belt buckles, spurs etc., and can advance to firearms, depending on your circumstances. There are no guarantees...it is up to you, but with concientious hard work you can succeed and become a full time and PAID engraver. There are no shortcuts!
It doesn't really matter if its guns, spurs or jewelry, what matters is that you are able to engrave anything that anybody wants. It won't happen overnight, but if you can show consistent quality, at affordable prices, people will become repeat customers...and that is a real key to success.

Good luck, and keep cutting! Will

Thanks everyone. Sorry I should have added more detail. I'm a country girl in NSW, Australia.
My engraving setup includes Lindsay palm control and template sharpening system, which i love. Although to my shame I haven't bothered to use anything but the 120 degree square graver Lindsay sells. I have a couple of flats I haven't bothered to sharpen since I got them... and haven't got and don't know how to use any other shapes.
Have been trying to perfect my deep relief (gun engraving style). My script could use some work. Keen to get back into doing brightcut. Unfortuently I still have a day job and not enough time to practice seriously. I would like to make a living out of it and get seriously in business with engraving one day. I don't know how to do that.
Danae.

There's no money in motorcycle stuff. They prefer catalogue parts so all their friends will know how much they've spent on bling.

How To Make Money Engraving??

The first thing you have to do is get good at it. To get good at it, then you must practice.........It really is that simple. Having a day job is no excuse. Many of us started out that way.

The tools you use are irrelevant. Nobody actually cares what you use. Lindsay, GRS, Hammer/chisel, push gravers. They are interesting things to talk about amongst other engravers but the customer doesn't give a rats.

What is important are the tools you stick in the handle. By that I mean being able to use a variety of gravers to get the job done..........this includes flats to do deep relief gun work. So learn how to sharpen and use them. There are a variety of methods you can research out.

If your script needs work.......then work on it. Keen to get back into bright cut.......then get back into it. Basically what I am saying is........do whatever it takes to do what you want to do. Because no one else will do it for you.

None of it is easy, in fact it is bloody hard work. But if you are passionate about it, then you will find the time to practice, you will learn the techniques and you will get good at it............then worry about how to make money at it.


Cheers
Andrew

Danae, from the kind of work I have seen you've done, I think you are on your way to making money, take Andrew's advise, and also sell your work, make people aware of what you do, from what I have seen here in Australia regarding so called "engravings", soon you will be laughing all the way to the bank, seriously, I only wish I had started this 20 years ago, you will be good at it in no time, I am sure of that, just keep at it, best wishes,
Richard.

Thanks Andrew and Richard. Lots of great posts coming up on this thread, let's keep it.going? Anyone else have some ideas? Regards danae

Do you have a professional looking business card ? Get one !

Build a website and learn to take high quality photos of your work.

Start marketing direct to the public. Do different types of events to get your name out there. Gun shows, craft shows etc... You need to be careful though. Choose the venues that will bring good customers to you can be difficult to figure out.

Hi Dani, I started out bright cutting on copper for at least an hour a day after work for 6 mo. before I wa allowed to do any silver at work.Even now that I look back neither my boss or I had any formal training in engraving and we were just lucky that what we did was simple and effective enough to sell.I still kept up the practice routine for another year or so until we were lucky enough to have someone willing to spend a week with us in our shop that did some very nice work. He made me promise to not tell anyone that he helped us.
Even with the sequence of events in my career,the one thing that help keep it all afloat was not that our engraving was good enough to stand on it's own and make money, it was because we were making products that were enhanced with engraving and as it turned out later we were able to get paid to learning then.
Later after many years of engraving silver ect for the Co. I did strike out on my own and did contract work for many companies and just concentrated on engraving.At that point I would say that is how I put bread on the table.
Yes today engraving has grown into a larger aspect of embellishment on all sorts of things than it has been in along time,thanks to technology and it doesn't look like it will slow down soon. I only hope that as it grows it doesn't become like cheap turquoise jewelery and kill the value of our efforts.
If you are looking to turn your engraving into the main focus of your work, put yourself in a position of creating opportunities to engrave and let the world know when you have something for sale,keep practicing, don't expect immediate results but never quit believing you will make it there someday,not I have arrived and nobody owes you anything along the way to getting there.
I wish you all the best and hope to meet you sometime to see how your coming along in your efforts!!!!!

Dave

Danae, you have to make the time to practice. I run a busy saddle business and when I started engraving, made sure I sat at the ball for at least 30 minutes every night just to get the feel of the tools in my hand and learn what I could do with each style of graver. Your work is good enough to put out there for the customer to see. Don't just show it off here, we don't need to buy it. Find a knife maker and do a deal with them to engrave a couple of knives and they will show them off if they like your work.

Do not fall into the trap of under valueing your work, you only cheapen yourself and the rest of us. Good work deserves good money. If the customer wants our work they should be prepared to pay for it.

Don't be scared to put yourself out there for others to see, you are the only one who will really promote your work. These things will get you on the roard to making some money but don't forget you ( and me) live in Australia where the just make it plain mentality is very strong. I send most of my work to the US and it is well received, use the rest of the world where it is more understood and appreciated. Ty.

my first entry into battle-- i was doing 2x3" practice plates which became belt buckles. key fobs, necklace pendants. whatever will sell will not only provide practice, but some $$ as well'
i think it wise to concentrate on "easily sold" items at first. i began selling at local art shows and (uggh) the lowly flea market.

In order to offer some tips, I have a question:
Do you just want to make money or do you want to make your living in an engraving business?
No wrong answer, but think about what YOU really want this to be.

Ok... a bit more about me to explain where I'm coming from. I am working in an engraving business. We do trophies, embroidery, rubber stamps, electrical plates, stubby coolers, shirts, etc etc etc... and my hand engrave which i do on anything from a walking stick to a tea pot to a thousand dollar wedding ring. 99% of that work being with a dental drill (saeshin micro motor) Cheap but not nasty. This rakes in the money pretty well as it's quick to do. There is no way in the world I can imagine making it big trying to sell chisel engraving in that shop, Aussies don't appreciate it... Generally speaking. I need to find that niche market, Tye, where in America do you send your work, to shows or shops...?
Also another thing which is really scaring me is I work at a two person business... I see first hand what running one's own business does to the owner. The shop's accounts are shoddy and hardly ever looked at, we are getting too much work coming through the doors to get everything done, we are both unorganized and frankly for the last couple of weeks have been one disaster after another. I described our operating system to the boss as the triage system. It's not something that makes me just want to go out and work for myself... but I want to engrave... so I guess one day I'll have to or just keep it as a hobby. I don't know of anywhere in Australia that would employ a (chisel) engraver and I'd be lucky even to find a place overseas...

I'm basically testing the waters here. I'm not in a position to set up my own business, or move overseas right now.... but I can't see any other option.

Arghhhh... I don't know what I'm doing.

Ok... maybe a little positive should be added to the jibberish i just wrote. The progress I have made is, I have my own business cards which I've been handing out at work for the last year or two, ( however I'll be re-designing that soon as it has a generic design on it and all the contact details are work's details) I'll be getting new cards soon with one of my engraved knives featured on the front and my facebook page and email... i guess putting my mobile on it would be a good idea too.

I have been engraving custom made knives for a group I met lately at Ironfest in lithgow which is a really great place for social networking and selling your gear to the right kind of people. Annual event at the end of April. I have done three custom knives from that group so far, sold one of my own, and made one of my own with their help which is the one I want on my business card.

I'd love to give belt buckles a go... are they easy enough to make or can you buy blank ones and engrave them? What's the best idea there.

At the moment I guess the best thing I can do is practice practice practice. But I need some ray of hope at the end of the tunnel and some direction. I need help from those who have gone before to tell me what the options are. What opportunites are available in this day and age... especially in australia I imagine it's going to be very limited, unless I market my work overseas (which would take skills and know how I don't have yet).

I really appreciate the time everyone has given in replying to this. Thank you all. If anyone thinks of anything more I am all ears.

Thanks
Danae.

BrianPowley said:

In order to offer some tips, I have a question:
Do you just want to make money or do you want to make your living in an engraving business?
No wrong answer, but think about what YOU really want this to be.

Click to expand...

As I just wrote in my little autobiography just a moment ago. I'm scared of the idea of running my own business. I can't think of anyone who would employ me. And at the moment the highest hopes I have are making a few dollars here and there to pay my tools off in my lifetime, what's on my horizon at present is somewhat depressing. I'm looking at expanding on that and anyone with any ideas or advice may be making a big difference in a little life.

Danae.

A little work done lately

Here's a couple of knives I mentioned I've been doing for some knife makers I came across.

The black lip pearl handle, the orange giraff bone handle, and the cb titanium handle knife with the deer are custom made knvies they supplied me to engrave.

The brass handled one I made (with help) and engraved and the other two were cheap knives bought to practice on which I sold to the knife makers I met at Ironfest.

Sorry to clog up this important discussion with my brag book I just wanted to give you guys a better idea of what I'm doing and where I'm coming from in hopes it will help you to see where I am at and maybe see a way ahead?

Thanks heaps everyone.

Danae.

Danae, would you pay good money to have this sort of engraving done? , I will tell you what happened to me a few months ago, my lovely wife took my watch to a jeweler to get the battery changed, when we went to pick it up, the lady behind the counter was crazy about the engraving that I had done on my watch, she wanted me to engrave a 6mm thick gold bangle she was wearing, and other lady friends could not help themselves and had to have a look at it as well, I had to say no as I was/am still learning and told her when I get better at it I will come and see her, it took me a while to convince her that I was not good enough to do it, ( I hate to think how much that bangle cost), so the opportunities are there and there are people that will pay for GOOD??? work, what you have shown here is a thousand times better than what I have done on the watch, so take the advise this good people are given you and show your work get it out there, practice get better at it and aim for the higher end market not the MR MINUTE market, which here is very much the next choice they have, and you will get there,
my2cents,
Richard.

It sounds like you're already in the engraving business! Ha,ha.
You said "I see first hand what running one's own business does to the owner." NO! That's what it does to that owner. Their accounts are shoddy because THEY let them become shoddy.
Too much work is the result of dirt cheap pricing. All of that cheap work is keeping the profit making work away from the bench.
You already see how NOT to run a business and if you want your business to be successful, just do the exact opposite of what your employer is doing.