Help, please: teach me to inlay?

Doc Mark · Sep 21, 2015

Another thing to consider Dani, is to do all your inlay work before the rest of the engraving is detailed and shaded. That way, if you do put a small ding in the metal, it isn't hard to gently resurface without worrying about your engraving. And yes, a hard brass chisel blade is good to cut your gold or silver wires as you inlay.

Dani Girl · Sep 21, 2015

Dani Girl · Sep 21, 2015

How's my script? Overall design,... inlay is better on the right side, did that second. Learning learning.

Brian Marshall · Sep 21, 2015

Overall design is fine.

I might have made the script a wee bit wider/thicker in the places where it's already wider - since it's all alone out there...

Not much, just a little bit.

Brian

JMiller · Sep 22, 2015

Turned out real nice, looks good!

SamW · Sep 22, 2015

Very nice work...the scroll looks 3 D.

Gabe · Sep 22, 2015

Great job !!

KCSteve · Sep 27, 2015

I made myself a brass flat scraper with a wine cork handle. Mostly I use it as more a smoother than a scraper. Probably be a better scraper if I did like the others and kept it as razor sharp as possible.

JOEYS CARVED ART · Sep 28, 2015

Thierry Duguet has great videos on doing inlay posted on youtube. Check 'em out if you get a chance!

Sam · Sep 28, 2015

Your scroll is beautiful and well cut. The letters are a bit thin as already pointed out, but it's first class engraving all the way. :clapping: :beerchug:

LVVP · Sep 29, 2015

Very nice look, thanks

Dani Girl · Oct 5, 2015

sam said:
Your scroll is beautiful and well cut. The letters are a bit thin as already pointed out, but it's first class engraving all the way. :clapping:

Well that's got me speechless. Thank you

Dani Girl · Nov 14, 2015

There is a cool thread in here about inlay into a straight razor blade in Damascus steel.

I was wondering would you inlay sterling or fine steel into Damascus ... stainless steels... or carbon steels before or after heat treat. I can easily ask for the temperatures involved if you would like that info.

Dani Girl · Nov 14, 2015

Oh also how do you protect or clean your inlays during blueing or anodizing. I am getting really interested in learning all the different ways I can add variety to the finish

Riflesmith · Nov 14, 2015

There are a couple of different ways to blue the steel after an inlay. The first and probably the most recommended is the hot bluing salt, the second, and one I prefer, is the rust blue where you have to card (soft wire brush) the "fuzz" off the steel after boiling to neutralize the bluing solution. In the second case I wait until after the steel is blued before I detail the softer inlays as the carding process will obliterate any details. JMHO

Dani Girl · Nov 15, 2015

Does 24carat, sterling silver, or fine silver get blackened by the blueing process. I was wandering what folk's favorite methods for masking or cleaning up were without damaging the blued background.?

Dave London · Nov 15, 2015

Dani
Only use pure gold and silver, the bluing will not affect it. Sterling may contaminate the blue due to the copper content. Bluing and copper don't mix.

Dani Girl · Nov 15, 2015

Trying some inlay again. I have removed a layer of metal in the shape of the scroll I plan to cut. Cut around the edges with a 004 round burr. I have to go around it with Ronald Baptist inlay chisel and then try to raise some burrs with that or a flat. I think I will try wire on this one but I do have some 28-30ga silver on hand.

This took me 1 and 1/2 hours so far.

Dani Girl · Nov 15, 2015

Ok sterling next to Damascus is fine... pure silver would be better.

Only pure silver or gold with blue.

Heat gold til it warms to a faint red in a dark room and let air cool.

Heat pure silver til sharpie marker disappears. Air cool.

I just tried making teeth in the bottom to hold the silver.. epic failure. Nothing tooth like at all happened. Back to study.

Roger B · Nov 16, 2015

Dani,

How did you try to cut the teeth - it just looks like rough cuts with an angled graver. I have had success with a wide flat being moved sideways as the impacts are being made. The other thing I noted in the progression photos - was there any support for the piece in the last photo? Looks as though it was just held at the corners.

Roger

Help, please: teach me to inlay?

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