cutting pewter

KSnyder · Mar 19, 2007

Hello everyone, Has anyone , ( I'm sure) have experience engraving pewter? Obviously its soft but any other tips or comments welcome. I have been asked to do work on a drinking flask, don't want to mess that up!

cheers,
Kent
PS. Marcus, you out there, I'm sure you've done many jobs on fine English / Irish pewter.

Marcus Hunt · Mar 19, 2007

Hi Kent,

Yes, I've done a few things in pewter e.g. hip flasks and tankards. Do I like it as a metal? No! Easy to cut? Yes very, but not without it's own associated problems! It's so soft that it's really easy to go deeper than you wanted and tends to throw up a rough edge if you're not careful; it's like ploughing (plowing?) a furrow except pewte rlifts at the edge instead of earth. A relief grind can help some as it gives the metal somewhere to go and helps to avoid heel drag which is very nasty on pewter. Also, be very careful as it marks and dents very easily so don't go using dividers to mark guidelines for lettering. Even a thumbnail can scratch it so make sure it's short or covered with a bandaid or somesuch thing. Be careful of brushing away chips by hand as these can scratch too. A specially impregnated silver polishing cloth is good for geting rid of finger prints when you've finished cutting.

GeorgeKhayata · Mar 19, 2007

Hi Kent,
I usualy dip the tip of the graver in "TAP MAGIC ALUMINUM - CUTTING FLUID" (YOU CAN GET IT FROM GRS)when I do engraving on pewter,
it makes cutting smooth and easy.
George.

KSnyder · Mar 19, 2007

Marcus & George, these are some great tips, things i didn't consider such as the tools for making out the letters etc. George, I have aluma-cut and I will use it.
thanks again,
Kent

Sam · Mar 19, 2007

Marcus Hunt said:
Yes, I've done a few things in pewter e.g. hip flasks and tankards.

I'd be willing to bet that Marcus has emptied more flasks and tankards than he's engraved.

Marcus Hunt · Mar 19, 2007

How did you guess Sam???

monk · Mar 19, 2007

it helps to wear those thin, white cotton gloves sold at the drugstore. they are for people needing to keep medical ointments on their hands. these gloves are cheep and washable. they can prevent blushes and such appearin where you least want them.

donnatheeng · Mar 19, 2007

engraving pewter

i have found baby oil on a cotton ball does great.just stick your tool on it and cut.i also sometimes wear non laytex surgical gloves.they fit well will not scratch the metal and don't affect holding tools.i have found even soft cotton can scratch.when i am done i wipe off finger prints with a jewelers polishing cloth.by the way anyone out there know the best way to buff pewter?what compound to use.red rough doesn't work very well green doesn't make it bright enough.i am not having much luck and mfg.companies won't tell me what they use.i know something is out there.db

Big-Un · Mar 19, 2007

I have used talcum powder and a soft pressure with my fingers.

allan621 · Mar 19, 2007

ditto the oil in the cotton ball thing. Keep you tool well lubricated, and watch your tool depth. If it starts to dip stop right away and correct the depth; dont' try to cut your way out of a cut that's on the plunge.
There may be some scratches. I like the yellow sunshine clothes from Rio Grande, better than most things I've tried. One of the things we use to cut down on scratches on hollowware is to mask of the area not being cut with masking tape, and to blow off the chips that may stick to the piece with the compressed air in a can you get from the office supply stores.

Donna, we have a full time hollowware polisher in our place who used to work at Kirk Steiff. I'll talk to him on Wednesday (he's off on Tuesday) and see what compounds he uses.

Allan

KSnyder · Mar 20, 2007

Hello everyone, thanks for the xtra info, I have the sunshine clothes from Rio. Cigar ashes work to a fine polish also and I have the thin white cotton gloves, this is a nice UK. flask so I'm guessing the quality to be fine.
cheers,
Kent

monk · Jun 14, 2007

engraving pewter

donnatheeng said:
i have found baby oil on a cotton ball does great.just stick your tool on it and cut.i also sometimes wear non laytex surgical gloves.they fit well will not scratch the metal and don't affect holding tools.i have found even soft cotton can scratch.when i am done i wipe off finger prints with a jewelers polishing cloth.by the way anyone out there know the best way to buff pewter?what compound to use.red rough doesn't work very well green doesn't make it bright enough.i am not having much luck and mfg.companies won't tell me what they use.i know something is out there.db

i've done my share of this stuff. always wore the cotton gloves. never had to polish. all the stuff i worked was a scratch type finish. it might be worthwhile to get a junk piece of this stuff and experiment with the different compounds. i think the people at gesswein supply in new york probably sells stuff

to work pewter articles.

Ron Smith · Jun 15, 2007

You said fine English Pewter. I am not familiar with it, but some of the other products on the market could and might be plated pewter. Just about the time you get realxed cutting pewter, someone will unload one of these on you. If it is, don't touch it. It will peel on you as the plating is harder than the base metal.......Just some thing to watch for.............Ron S

KSnyder · Jun 15, 2007

Ron, yes, thanks for the caution. The flask is not plated.
Kent

monk · Jun 15, 2007

pewter

Ron Smith said:
You said fine English Pewter. I am not familiar with it, but some of the other products on the market could and might be plated pewter. Just about the time you get realxed cutting pewter, someone will unload one of these on you. If it is, don't touch it. It will peel on you as the plating is harder than the base metal.......Just some thing to watch for.............Ron S

could you not tell by the difference in weight ? i'd think it would feel somewhat lighter.

cutting pewter

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