Complete newbie advice needed

Cuboodle

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Sep 11, 2016
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I'm a complete newbie I build flintlock rifles and want to start engraving them. I have messed around with a few graders and a chasing hammer with awful results. I know I should take a class or two. My question is this will a Lindsey palmgraver make it easier to start engraving on what I would classify as simple engraving to the standards of say a 1760's gunsmith or is it comparable to the results I'm getting now UGLY..
 

Omar Haltam

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takes practice and patience, but if you find a class to take it will give you a solid foundation to build on, but nothing comes easy.
Good luck

~Omar
 

Thierry Duguet

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I do not mean to be sarcastic but the fact is that most of the "engraving" on Kentucky rifle of that era were pretty bad so what you do is more in keeping with the style of rifle than what I would be doing. Improving might actually be detrimental.
 

Leland Davis

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Cuboodle, if you have studied original Pennsylvania longrifles you know the makers had varying talents some were fair engravers some should have left it off. Jacob Dickert had a few rifles with almost modern looking fine line shading. Most were not of great quality like Thierry said but it can't look like it was scratched with a nail if you want to sell your rifles. The palmcontrol will speed up the learning curve but hand chased on a flintrifle is the way to go. This will consume you once you get started. Good luck it's worth it.
Leland
 

Cuboodle

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I was only asking about the Lindsay engraver because my neighbor is selling a Damascus handled outfit he got at an estate sale he's asking 450 bucks for a complete setup
 

JJ Roberts

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Cuboodle,Where do you live? in October 28th & 29th the 32nd Annual Virginia-Kentucky Rife Show held at the Holiday Inn & Suites,Front Royal Va.I be at my table come join us if you can, Wallace Gusler will be there. J.J.
 
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Mike_Morgan

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I was only asking about the Lindsay engraver because my neighbor is selling a Damascus handled outfit he got at an estate sale he's asking 450 bucks for a complete setup

BUY IT... The price is an absolute steal, If engraving isn't your thing, pass it on to somebody will use it daily. (Me, for example)
 

Sam

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If you're doing bad engraving now, you'll be able to do bad engraving twice as fast with a pneumatic handpiece :) Just kidding...but it will make learning easier and faster. But as others have said, hammer & chisel should produce a more authentic look. I'd stay to stick with it.
 

monk

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they all forgot to mention, " it aint the tool, it's the hand that drives it!". i have seen a lot of engraved front stuffers. some quite exquisite, some probably as bad as possible. the problem with the air assist toys, they don't produce the chatter marks that are seen on many of the old guns. i used either h&c or a gravermeister on many home brewed front stuffers. sometimes i'd use both.
much of the work seen on the forum, just wont do on the old style guns. too complex to work on these guns. naturally, the customer has the final word on design.
 

Mike_Morgan

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I completely agree that the Lindsay PC is the wrong tool for the job... However, It's the right tool for a LOT of jobs, and the price is an absolute steal, considering the fact that the Damascus Handle sells for what they are asking for the whole darned tool. Seriously... I'll take it if he doesn't! In a New York MINUTE.
 

Mike_Morgan

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The Damascus handle is worth $420.00 that what Lindsay gets for one. J.J.

By the time you add the PayPal Fees, Shipping, Etc, It comes to over the $450.00. And he can buy the entire PC with damascus handle AND the PC airgraver For the same price... if that's not a bargain, nothing is. By my calculations he's saving about 2700 bucks. At the risk of sounding obnoxious, if he doesn't buy the thing, PLEASE give me (or somebody else here) the contact info. That tool should be in use in the hands of somebody that could benefit from it.
 

Leland Davis

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Cuboodle, if you start engraving flintlocks and have some success you will want to try other things and keep improving this a very good opportunity to get a very good setup for next to nothing for that journey.
 

Dani Girl

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The Palm control graver can use three or four different pistons of different weights which really vary it's range of power and functinoality. BUY IT... if you don't like it after you've used it for a few months you can sell it on here and quadruple your money :)
 

Thierry Duguet

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Cuboodle, if you start engraving flintlocks and have some success you will want to try other things and keep improving this a very good opportunity to get a very good setup for next to nothing for that journey.

Since when using pneumatic engraving was synonym of improvement?
 

Leland Davis

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Thierry, I should have said faster improvement I do believe the learning curve is reduced by a pneumatic system but keep in mind I know nothing. A palmcontrol my be one of the best setups out there and for 450 dollars it can't be a bad deal even if he sold it and turned the profit into other things he needs.
 

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