Question: Got my self stumped a bit

Boomhower · Dec 24, 2015

Hello everyone. I am new to engraving. I have Ben getting better each day. I have only worked on practice plates so far.so I got a few cheap knives for gifts and want to put some very simple engravings on them. They have the normal brass ends on the handles and stainless blades so I can polish them out if I mess up lol. But where I am stumped is my friend handed me a tactical knife to do for his boy it has a aluminum handle and stainless blade with a black coating on it which will look great if I don't mess up but my question is what do I do with the very small burs that are left at the ends of the cuts. I have been back cutting my practice plates. And win I get done I sand them lightly to smooth them. But on this knife it has the coatings is there a trick to this or will I have to put a new finish on it win I am done. Sorry for the new guy question I don't no what to search for to fined the answer. Thank you in advance for your help

Ron Spokovich · Dec 24, 2015

When you terminate your cut, whether a graver or rotary bur, there still may be a slight amount of raised, or flaked, coating at the end. It depends upon the coating, the metal, and the tool geometry. If a burr is raised, and you carefully stone it down, you may attack the other area of the blade and scratch the coating. There is the chance that the coating will not flake, such as in, maybe, the advanced coatings they're using today. . .it's unknown until you actually cut the thing and see what happens. Too bad you don't have a sample blade, with the same coating, to experiment on. Until then, it's just taking a chance, which may, or may not, work out well.

Boomhower · Dec 25, 2015

I haven't tried the knife with the coating on it yet but have been working on another stainless knife it is not leaving the cuts like I was having on copper and mild steel. I got some diamond stones yesterday and a worksharp hone I thank this has made my cuts better.

Roger Bleile · Dec 25, 2015

When you cut through a finish such as the anodizing on the aluminum knife or gun blue there are two critical things to remember. You can't make the slightest mistake as there is no way to correct it without ruining the finish and any burrs can't be sanded or polished down without damaging the finish. For this reason most engravers don't cut through a finish. The way around the burr problem is to use a graver with a parallel heel. The way around the first problem is to be an experienced engraver who doesn't have fly outs or other beginner errors.

Ed Westerly · Dec 25, 2015

I think what Roger may be saying is this may be too advanced for you at this time. You should assume that you will need to refinish the blade, and if you don't, you've really done something to be proud of!

monk · Dec 25, 2015

practice doing nothing but "popouts " at a cut end. it's a matter of timing just when to lower the handle and leap out of the cut. if you look at a video of how it is done, it sort of throws one off a bit. it does look a bit odd to see delicate work ending in a seemingly uncontrolled jerk of the graver. with practice, in time, this part of the cut just happens without thought or fear. this practice is well worth doing. it can save a real disaster. as roger mentioned, there are some finishes that just wont tollerate trying to get rid of a batch of burs.

Boomhower · Dec 25, 2015

Thanks for the help everyone. I worked on the cheapest knife I got for my dad and got a bad whipping from it. I for sure have a lot of learning to go and tons of practice. I will talk to my friend and see what he wood like. If he don't mind a polished blade on it I will give it a try. But for puting a good coating on it wood I thank I will just leave it alone for now lol. Thank you all very much for helping me learn

Ron Spokovich · Dec 25, 2015

Every day, I learn something, be it a little or a lot. I did not know Fred Flintstone was a Mason!

tdelewis · Dec 26, 2015

I was asked to engrave the slide on one of the new Colt 22 rf's that is used just for plinking. It is some kind of allow like AL. I Told him up front that the black coating would be removed and he would have a slide in the bright when engraved. I used an abrasive sheet placed on a piece of plate glass to rub it on so as to keep the edges sharp. When engraved the client was very happy. I wouldn't do it again. Cheap will always remain cheap no matter what you do to it.

Boomhower · Dec 26, 2015

Lol Mr Ron I didn't no he was tell I run across that photo. Win I was searching for a good square and compass to work on for my dad. That is my moto in life I always want to learn each day.
You are right Tdelewis if its cheap its always cheap.
I talked to my friend and he told me he just wanted me to have something to work on and that his boy wood love it that I worked on it for him. He wants a fleur de Lee on it . I found a nice design for it

quickcut07 · Dec 26, 2015

This would depend on your chosen design buy at times you can carefully cut back towards your termination point. Doing it carefully it will turnout similar to your starts. This will get rid of the burr possibly and if the cut depths are the same, it will have a natural flow.

Eric

Boomhower · Dec 26, 2015

Well I have a new problem lol. I spent a bout 2 hours drawing a fleur de Lee on the blade i thought it looked best there but win I went to scribe my pencil lines in the scribe wood not touch it lol so I tried one of my knife gravers and no matter the angel woodnt even scratch it. So I tried the rest of my gravers and no luck. The blade is 440c stainless . the handle is alumium there is a spot with checkering so I thank I will polish it out there and engrave it crazy that a cheap knife has such a good coating on it. Changed how I feel bout there knives may have to buy me one lol
Quickcut. I have been practicing doing my cuts that way on some stainless fender washers it sure made a difference. I do need to work on the depths like you mentioned that will help thanks for letting me no that I had just been back cutting the end of the cut

Question: Got my self stumped a bit

Boomhower

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Ron Spokovich

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Boomhower

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Roger Bleile

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Ed Westerly

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monk

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Boomhower

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