Family crest on knife

Jan Hendrik

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This is by far the most complex gold inlay I have done to date. The job is not perfect by any means, but I try to focus to prevent making the same mistakes with each new project. I strive to constantly improve my skills this way. What do you guys think?
 

Eric Olson

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I think it looks great but you are not quite done.
It will look a ton better if you spend a little time adding some details to the stars, gold in the shield, and wolf.
Treating the silver background in the shield in someway would be a nice touch.
 

Sam

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There are several lines around the inlay that need back-cutting. The job looks rushed and unfinished as it is. Also your background blackening is too think and is puddling. When it's that thick it'll have shiny spots instead of being dead flat (matte). Is your background level?

This has potential to be a good engraving. Take your time and don't rush those lines that outline your inlay. Make perfect intersections so there are no gaps, burs, and that they are of consistent width. Doing this will pay off handsomely for you.
 

dlilazteca

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There are several lines around the inlay that need back-cutting. The job looks rushed and unfinished as it is. Also your background blackening is too think and is puddling. When it's that thick it'll have shiny spots instead of being dead flat (matte). Is your background level?

This has potential to be a good engraving. Take your time and don't rush those lines that outline your inlay. Make perfect intersections so there are no gaps, burs, and that they are of consistent width. Doing this will pay off handsomely for you.

Sam,

Thank you for taking your time in your evaluation it's great to see it through your eyes and experiance, I hope he continues posting as changes are made.

Thanks again everyone

Saludos,

Carlos
 

Sam

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Another thing I would recommend is to lay out one perfect star which is the right size for the job, then engrave that star on a piece of scrap metal and transfer it three times to your knife bolster. Then you'll have three perfect stars. Your stars look hand-drawn, and a symmetrical shape like a star is very unforgiving.
 

Jan Hendrik

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Thank you all for the great input. This helps me to better my work. The background removal is perfectly flat I can assure you. I had some trouble laying down the black paint evenly and as a result kept adding paint. This was obviously a big mistake and I will remove the paint with paint thinners and re do the background paint. The customer gave me the sample copy of how he wanted the family crest to look which was even more basic than what I did with it. I will try to do the eye of the fox and some lines for fur. Fingers crossed! Unfortunately it is impossible for me to find a tutor in South Africa to teach me the finer points of engraving. All that I know regarding engraving was learnt from engraving forums, trial and error and some cussing in between. I will continue to push my limits to hopefully reach half the level of expertise of the likes of Sam, Steve Lindsay and Phil Coggan.
P.S I only have an optivisor for magnification at this stage. I will have to save up for a microscope.
 

Sam

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Cutting those lines next to gold without a microscope would be very difficult for me, even with an optivisor. It can be done, but there's no way I could ever do it. McKenzie did it back in the day when he was young and his eyes were perfect.

If you thin your paint before you apply it should lay down flatter. Same thing happens to me when it's too thick. If you don't have a tutor the Cafe is probably the next best option :)
 

Jan Hendrik

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Thank you for your honest input Sam. Rather give it to me straight so I know what to focus on improving. I do feel a bit better now about not having a microscope, but it is not an excuse for me not to keep doing better work. I value all the input I receive from all the members. You guys rock! I will post pictures after I have done the other side of the knife and the improvements on the crest side.
 

Sam

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Jan: I preach to my students about clean and perfect intersections of lines and back-cutting. If I had a few minutes with that knife I could true-up some of those lines and make it look 10x better. My point is you are very close. Maybe closer than you think.

Get a scope when you can, but many of the world's finest engraving was done with simple magnification. Just look at Churchill's engraving. Nothing more than a low power optivisor.
 

Jan Hendrik

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I finished installing the gold inlays on the other side of the knife. This is the first time ever doing gold lettering for me. At the thinnest parts I had to use 0,26mm gold wire. I still have to do the outlines around the border and I would like to add shading lines to the letters to give them a 3-D look.
Do I outline the letters and then add the thicker shade lines on one side of the letters to "cast a shadow" or do I only cut the "shadow lines" without a thin border around the letters? I would like to keep the lettering delicate if possible. Please give me your advice.
 

Gemsetterchris

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Most people these days think it is absolutely neccessary to have a microscope?:confused:

Phil

Depends on your eyesight, I used to be fine 10 years ago.
Besides that it helps your posture & you can't deny the fact zooming in & out at will is not beneficial?
I wouldn't say It's absolutely necessary but....
 

Jan Hendrik

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I would not say that it is necessary to have a microscope, but I have stigmatism in both my eyes and wear glasses to correct my vision. From the moment I started using an optivisor my engraving improved substantially. I think I will be able to do even finer work with a microscope with my eyesight and all.
 

Phil Coggan

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My comments were not aimed at those with eye problems etc, it's just getting to the point where beginners assume that microscopes are a necessity.....they are not.

Phil
 

Brian Marshall

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I too engraved with naked eyeballs... until sometime in my early 50's, when all systems began to perform sporadically.

Went to an Optivisor for a couple years, then graduated to the Zeiss.

I can tell you for a fact that there is no way I could engrave or set stones for a living without a scope - at this time in my life.

Nor perform the occasional surgeries required to remove wood and metal slivers...


Brian
 

Phil Coggan

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Yes, and I understand that Brian but what i'm getting at is that the general consensus is that a microscope is needed for good engraving.

Phil
 

Brian Marshall

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I agree with you Phil... and I don't allow their use in a basic workshop for that very reason.

There are far too many things going on at the beginner level to add trying to chase their work around under a scope into the mix. Recipe for disapointment.

Seeing how the student is doing some weeks or months AFTER taking a basic course, and taking their age and vision into consideration - I may recommend their trying that option to see if it could be of some use to ease things along.

I've found it to make a marked difference in confidence and accuracy about 25% of the time. Again, this is entirely dependent on the raw material. (student)

Everyone is different.

I'm sure there are people on this forum who really have no actual need of a scope (at their present level) - and use one simply because they think it makes a magic difference?

Maybe more along the line of having a rabbits foot in the pocket? :) Or imitating a guru, who might actually be helpless without a scope.

"Joining the club" is another reason. Gotta do or have whatever someone else on the forum has... that seems to be pretty common... here of late.


Some people may even be able to see well enough into their 70's & 80's to never need magnification.

Unfortunately, it was not in my cards after 50 sumthin' years of age, so I adapted.


I also adapted when I lost ability to lift my engraving arm/elbow out to the side.

I cobbled together a kind of orthopedic appliance that supports my arm and gets me by.

My choice was to do these things or look for another line of work. I was lucky enough to have those options when I really really needed them. Not the case with most engravers... or students for that matter.


Brian
 
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Brian Marshall

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For Jan,


Do you have a copy of any of the Bergling books? If not, check and see if maybe they are available to look at various pages on Interent somewhere.

If you are sucessful in locating an online copy - I can look though mine and find/point out some examples you might like to try out...


Brian
 

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