Engrave Mother of Pearl

Brant · Dec 2, 2014

I want to engrave some small block letters ( about 4 mm high) in MOP.

Any suggestions for graver material and geometry? I know about the health hazards, but any tips would be welcome.

TIA

Brant

Marrinan · Dec 2, 2014

do a search on bblake at the top of this page, does beautiful work. Fred

Sam · Dec 3, 2014

I've done a bit using my regular gravers. It's gritty and weird to engrave compared to metal.

mitch · Dec 3, 2014

i've done just enough to know i don't care for it. had a client awhile back request that i carry the scroll design on a knife out onto the MOP scales and i politely declined. imho, it falls in the category of "just because it can be done does not mean it should."

Ed Westerly · Dec 3, 2014

I quite agree, Mitch!

rbauman · Dec 3, 2014

I took an MOP inlaying course with Dave Nichols and his extended family in upstate NY. At that time, cuts with 03 and 06 jeweler's blades replaced engraving the pearl, at least at my level. The cover of Patterson's book on MOP engraving has a good example of Dave's work. Larry Robinson has a three DVD set inlaying MOP, he covers engraving briefly.

"A Guitarmaker's Canvas" The inlay art of Grit Laskin is a book that will inspire and may redirect your efforts toward a new medium.

Chipping is a problem, you can scratch a line (losing that signature cut imho), use a square graver, but the best luck may be with an onglette, protects the top of the shell blank. Engraving being done after the final sanding.

I am more well read than practiced, so, I welcome more responses, combining these two, has gotta result in beautiful work.

Weldon47 · Dec 4, 2014

I've cut quite a bit of pearl on mandolin & guitar headstock veneers for Collings using the same tools & geometry I always use..... Just with a much lighter touch. It's an organic material and the consistency can vary greatly from piece to piece but...... It can be done & done well IF you're careful!
Get a scrap piece or two & give it a try!

Weldon

mitch · Dec 4, 2014

and just so we're clear, i've seen some really excellent engraving done in MOP over the years, including some surprisingly finely detailed stuff, so there's no question it can be done well, but it's just something i personally would really rather avoid.

Weldon47 · Dec 4, 2014

Mitch, I wasn't throwing stones at you....in fact I agree with you on knives....
We'll let Barry do that stuff!! I was encouraging the original poster to give it a try on his lettering.
The pieces I do arent nearly as expensive to begin with so some of the "pucker factor" is reduced, especially in the event of catastrophic failure (which hasn't happened to me.... Yet!)

Weldon

Brant · Dec 4, 2014

Thanks to all for the tips and encouragement.

I tried some basic stuff this morning and I was very pleasantly surprised. It is very soft, but with patience and light cuts it is quite doable.

I'll post a few pics in the next few days.

mitch · Dec 4, 2014

we're cool, Weldon- engraving pearl is just one of those things that even tho it can be done very well, it involves too much luck and holding of one's breath for me to be comfortable doing it.

Barry Lee Hands · Dec 5, 2014

Here are some pics of engraved pearl I did around 2007 or so. . . .these days I mostly just do the " Gilded Pearl" technique, that is, inlay gold into pearl.

Marrinan · Dec 5, 2014

truly outstand Barry. great work. Fred

mitch · Dec 5, 2014

so, Barry, evidently you da man! what are your recommendations on geometry, sharpening angles, etc.?

Barry Lee Hands · Dec 5, 2014

Thanks Fred.

mitch said:
so, Barry, evidently you da man! what are your recommendations on geometry, sharpening angles, etc.?

Thanks Mitch, for that I used a Lindsay universal grind on a Lindsay Artisan.
And repeated passes on all but the finest lines.
The pearl has convoluted grain, which changes direction. so, sometimes you shade to the outside of the first cut, sometimes you shade to the inside.
Make sure you have had your coffee.
I would describe it like cutting brittle chalk.

LVVP · Dec 8, 2014

Barry,

I am so sorry, I missed this post in 2007, so I am too late to say you or may be not that this piece of art just an amazing.

Thank you very much.

Barry Lee Hands · Dec 8, 2014

LVVP said:
Barry,

I am so sorry, I missed this post in 2007, so I am too late to say you or may be not that this piece of art just an amazing.

Thank you very much.

It does seem like it was about 100 years ago. . .

Brant · Dec 15, 2014

first attempts

I know this isn't Barry Lee quality, but the recipient is very happy.

The first one is a series of initials that have special meaning to her.

The second is the Chicago Blackhawk. It is being colored, when it is finished I'll post it also.

Thanks for the input and tips. It does cut different, and the going is very slow. I'm pleased with the results for a first attempt at MOP.

Marrinan · Dec 16, 2014

A job well done. Venturing into uncharted and undiscovered country. Again very well done. Fred

dlilazteca · Dec 17, 2014

well done!

Engrave Mother of Pearl

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