Merkel Engravers

Roger Bleile

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I came across a web site that shows the 15 engravers that work at the Gebruder Merkel gun factory in Suhl Germany. Their experience ranges from 6 months to 41 years. Note the vises they use. None of them have a self centering vise like the Italians use nor do they use an engravers block like most of us use. Also their vise is on the side of a bench not on a corner or on a post. They do great work but use an H&C method many of us would consider a handicap because of the vise.
http://www.merkel-usa.com/core.php?...xMDE1NiZuYXZpZ2F0aW9uSUQ9MTAyMDkmbGFuZ0lEPTU=

Here is a link to their engravings pages. The pictures are not high resolution but you can get some idea of the work.

http://www.merkel-usa.com/core.php?...wMTU2Jm5hdmlnYXRpb25JRD0xMDE1NyZsYW5nSUQ9NQ==

CRB
 

richard hall

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Thanks for the links Roger, us humans always adapt to our work no matter how clumpsy it may appear to others, just look at Tiras set-ups,and she is somehow able to muddle through it and produce outstanding work. Still, it was an eye-opener !!!!! Sure would like to be able to walk thru the place and watch them at their work stations........
 
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pilkguns

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Roger, I have been there at the Merkel factory a few times as well as the engraving school in Suhl. I will have to dig up some of my videos from back then. They have a very offset vise, which enables them to use the hammer pressure in the cut to make the whole vise to swing round and round to cut continious scrolls.

when I first told them that I used air-assist, they kindo of turned their noses up at me, but when I told them I could H&C and showed them, I was everybody's friend. I even got the hang of making the vises turn after awhile. I wanted to buy one of these vises, but they are very precious because the ones there are from before the war sometime.
 
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monk

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i copied all the fotos and enlarged them as best as possible. they all appear to be able to rotate freely, and most look as though they also have a locking lever of sorts. interesting to see. thanks, roger.
 

Dave London

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Merkel

Thanks Roger
A few years ago I attended the IWA show in Nuremburg. Got to meet and talk to one of Merkel's engravers, she used the same vise and H&C and did the side plate by memory no drawing on the plate at all. This was a standard factory pattern. Also interesting that most of the European vices the front jaw is the stationary one,and they are mounted on a pipe and clamp arrangement so they can move up/down and turn in circlesAnd the kicker it is she was paid by piece work. Dave
 

monk

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"piece work". how strange. little wonder the lady wasted no time drawing the design. did they all work by such an arrangement ? how complex was the design she was cutting ?was she very fast ? sorry for all the questions, dave, but this makes me curious.
 

Dave London

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Hi Monk
Don't know if all of them do piece work, It was a fairly fully engraved sideplate, and she was fast,but I thought that with air tools she could make more. I only had a few min to visit, the boss wanted to keep moving throught the show.
 

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