My first attempt at metal inlay

vanknife · Sep 21, 2008

Good day

After seeing Barry Lee Hands and Mike Dubbers inlay Tutor I thought i will give it a try, I am Busy making a belt buckle and did the inlay with copper, It was a learning curve and i am quite happy with the results. The buckle is not finished yet I still have to do some scroll work on two corners. As it is now the finish is with 600grid emery paper. The belt attachments on the back side is the wrong way round will have to grind it of and weld it in the right position before proceeding with the engraving.

Cheers

"VAN"

piper · Sep 21, 2008

Hello Van...not that my skill level counts for much...but it pleases me! Where are these tutorials? Link? Can't seem to find them...forest for the trees thing, surely. Thanks and further so!!!
Andrew

Marcus Hunt · Sep 21, 2008

That's looking good Van!

Here's a tip. If you try burnishing occasionally as you stone the inlay flush, it's a way of making sure every little hole is filled and that the inlay goes right to the edges. That way you shouldn't end up with any dips in the inlay. Water of Ayr stone (aka Tam O'Shanter Hone) has the wonderful property that it cuts through all metal at the same rate so your soft inlay material will be flush with the steel. If you use anything else, such as paper, you risk the softer inlay dipping below the surface of the harder metal.

Well done, keep it up.

filbertius · Sep 21, 2008

When you re-weld the attachments, will you lose the copper?

gary

vanknife · Sep 21, 2008

Gary I hope not I will have to take that chance, the positive side is if I would lose the copper it will give me another opportunity to practice my inlay skills.

Cheers "VAN"

KCSteve · Sep 21, 2008

Piper

The tutorial he mentioned is over on Steve Lindsay's forum - http://www.engravingforum.com/index.php

That's the one you'll sometimes hear people refer to as 'the other place'

Pretty good overlap on membership between the two, but they each have their own personality. Well worth being on both.

Keith · Sep 21, 2008

Van was this done with the wire inlay or did you cut a sheet of copper?
Looks great either way.
Keith

Cloudy · Sep 21, 2008

Where does one get water of Ayre stone in the US?

Tim Wells · Sep 21, 2008

I couldn't find anything on them in the US but they are from Scotland I believe. People used to use them for a straight razor hone before stropping to take the wire edge burr off.

I have a stone hone for straight razors that I picked up in Bahrain during the war but I don't know if it's the same rock.

vanknife · Sep 21, 2008

Thanks Guys,
This was done with copper sheet, I have not worked with wire for I believe Gold is much more malleable and will "fuse" together tighter than copper that is why I decided to use plate and not wire.

Yes the tutors is on the engravingforum.

As far as the stone is concern i have never come accross the described stones but sure something to look for.

Cheers

"VAN"

Marcus Hunt · Sep 22, 2008

Cloudy, any good jewellery manufacturer supplies/tool shop should stock it. You could try Gesswein or Rio Grande. GRS managed to get hold of some for my father's Grand Masters class last year without any problems. If the worse comes to the worse, Sutton Tools in the UK stock it. You could always get it shipped and it wouldn't take too long.

vanknife · Sep 22, 2008

Thanks Marcus will check were to find it.

Cheers

"VAN"

vanvonne · Sep 22, 2008

Hi oom,that looks very good.It is an outstanding piece of work,exspecially for a first try.
We enjoy your work.
Regards
Yvonne & Ivan

My first attempt at metal inlay

vanknife

Elite Cafe Member

Attachments

piper

Member

Marcus Hunt

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

filbertius

Elite Cafe Member

vanknife

Elite Cafe Member

KCSteve

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

Keith

Elite Cafe Member

Cloudy

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

Tim Wells

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

vanknife

Elite Cafe Member

Marcus Hunt

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

vanknife

Elite Cafe Member

vanvonne

Member

Latest posts

Sponsors