Annual Pilgramage to GRS Training Center 2013

[Beathard]

I am on my annual trip (actually semi-annual since I do it twice a year) this week. I am Taking the Colt Class from Mike Dubber. Several forum members are in class.

Today was the first day. This morning we covered Mike's background and Colt's process for becoming a master engraver. We then covered the transfer method he uses for his transfer products. We then watched him cut some of the pattern on an overhead screen (man can he cut fast!).

After lunch we transferred the patterns via Tom White's Transfer Solution. I personally liked the white fluid because it cuts down on glare. We then cut the pattern for most of the afternoon with interruptions to answer individuals questions for the entire class.

Tomorrow: Start on the backstrap.

Items learned today:
1) Learned that I was putting the graver into the quick change piece slightly off center. This was causing me some strange tracking issues.

2) Over the last year I have developed a habit of making my heals too large. This was causing some dragging and raised edge issues. Once he told me, I remembered Rex getting onto me about this. Fixed it and all those issues went away again.

3) Learned a new way to dub the point. Mike holds the graver vertical at a 90 degree angle and make a small 1/6" letter "W" on the ceramic lap or on a ruby lap. It made the C-Max points not break. Worked like a charm.

4) Learned to polish the heals on a piece of leather that had a little diamond spray on it. WOW!!! Mirror finish bevels. I’ve had nice bevels, but they never shined like that!

So, I don’t know if this is helpful to anyone out there... But I will continue to document this if y'all want, and probably even if you don't... I'll try to include pictures tomorrow.

 

[dlilazteca]

Gerry

It sounds like a very interesting day. I should be making the pilgrimage this summer.

Thanks for posting!

Carlos De La O III

 

[scott99]

Thanks for going over your day. It is very interesting.


scott99

 

[RDP]

Yes Please, keep documenting, it's very interesting for us newbies,
thanks,
Richard.

 

[Idaho Flint]

Love to hear what you are seeing an learning. Please keep posting.

Thanks
Mike

 

[Beathard]

Day Two: Engraved the backstraps. Starting cylinders, including gold inlay, tomorrow.

The entire day was spent as an engraving lab. Mike Dubber interupted the engraving 4 times to have a group discussion. This is his way of turning an individual’s question into a lesson for the entire group.

Points made today:

1) STOP USING YOUR FINGERS!!! This was his mantra for the day. He was walking around the group of eleven students that have been engraving for 3 -10 years each and noticed that many of us were using our finger to rotate the vise a little past where our stable rotation had ended. In addition some were raising their elbows and bending their wrists to gain a little extra cutting room before stopping and repositioning our hands on the block. I even caught myself doing it a couple of times. So if the newbies out there want a hint. DONT USE YOUR FINGERS or WRIST or SHOULDERS or ELBOWS. Securely grip the vise and turn it into your graver that is sitting still. Your cuts will benefit from this...

2) He discussed the use of beading tools. Most of us call them Dot Punches. He told us that the nice Swiss jewelers beading tools work fine on Colts, but would be destroyed by the hardness of Ruger SAAs. We discussed the size scales for the jewlers tools 00-20, with #4 being the most common for Colts. Why Colts? This is a class talking about historical methods of engraving Colts. He also talked about NGraver's sizing (1, 1.5, 2 and 3). The #2 is the same size and the jewelers #4. We discussed the proper way to tap the tool with the hammer. He said "This is not a hammer. Do not use the elbow to whack it! It is a finger tool. Bounce it twice using only finger action." He said to place them close to, but on each other, the bevels, or borders. He said once you pick a size stick with it. Don't use multiple sizes on the same firearm. Later I asked him about tight corners. He changed what he said. He said he would not be opposed to using one dot that is smaller in the tight corner. He said not to make a practice of it. He even said he might do it on some of his higher end guns. He said the Colt factory never does this. It is a speed thing. They are so small the naked eye has a hard time seeing the gap, therefore they don’t take the time to fill it.

Sandy Popovich, god I love having this man in our classes, told the class that the NGravers fit perfectly in to the 901, monarch, magnum headpieces when you remove the quick change adapters. So several of us cranked the gravermachs down to 4 and did a quick double or triple tap. It worked perfectly and it was a lot quicker for me than the hammer.

3) Mike also talked about some firearm finishing processes that he goes through after finishing the engraving. He said that after finishing shading and dot punching the backgrounds, he does a polishing process. He uses the green 3M 30 Micron Polishing Paper with honing oil, then Simichrome Polish applied with a dishtowel, and finally Renaissance Wax Polish. He said this gives a really high grade shine that is great for stainless steel or blued guns. When asked, he said that French Gray is an etching process and all of this work would be a waste due to the etching process.

4) Again, KEEP YOUR FINGERS FROM ROTATING THE VISE!

 

[monk]

tyvm for posting this. interesting info- to me was the method mr.dubber uses to dub his graver points. it's amazing to me a, lifetime of experience can so generousy be shared by people like mike and others.

 

[Beathard]

I cannot even begin to communicate the amount we are learning. I am sharing the high points, but seeing him cut, hearing him cut, having him review your work... You gotta do this one if you are not already a master engraver.

 

[dlilazteca]

Thanks again!

Carlos De La O III

 

[take-down]

Sorry to be a PITA but could you please explain or show with a couple of photos the point not to use your fingers to turn the vise This may be a big problem of mine
If you have the time that is
Many thanks
Graham

 

[GTJC460]

Sorry to be a PITA but could you please explain or show with a couple of photos the point not to use your fingers to turn the vise This may be a big problem of mine
If you have the time that is
Many thanks
Graham

What Jerry is talking about is at the end of the rotation. You can stretch out to get a little bit further by using your finger tips to slightly turn the vice a little further than your hand and arm can turn the vice. This is a big NO NO, as its very easy to lose control of the vice when doing this. It becomes much more of a problem when working on gun parts that are in heavy jigs. The weight is much greater and much easier to lose control of what you are doing with your finger tips. Mike taught me this lesson when I was in his private studio. I have never forgotten it, and really make a continued effort to not do it. Your vice turning needs to be deliberate and controlled. Graver control and vice control are one and the same.

 

[Sam]

The vise should be rotated as smoothly as possible as far as your wrist can turn, then stop the handpiece, reposition your vise hand, and resume cutting. Trying to keep the cut going by walking your fingers around vise often results in poorly cut lines.

 

[Donny]

Beathard,
Tried to PM you....I think your box is full....

Donny

 

[scott99]

Thanks again, still a super interesting read.

scott99

 

[Beathard]

This is an exaggerated example of the vise use:
Start Position:


Proper stopping position:


ERROR - DO NOT continue into the fingers. This is exaggerated. Anything beyond the second picture is going to start causing your line quality to drop.

 

[Doc Mark]

Ya know, I've been scratching for a few years now, and this is the first time I've heard of not "walking" the vise around with your finger tips. I'd never really thought about it before, but it makes perfect sense! I've probably been guilty of this often. I'll start to pay attention to this detail. And I really liked the tip about using the N-Graver beading tools in the 901. I'll also give that a try! Keep em' coming! Thanks for this thread.

 

[Beathard]

Today we worked on inlaying fine golf (24 karat) into the cylinder. He taught us a slightly different technique than I have learned in the past. The steps we did were as follows:

1) Took the 20 gauge gold over to a small torch and annealed it. We then up in through a press to slightly flatten it.

2) We then scored a line using dividers to score the line. Then measured the gold and scored a second line creating to lines that were the same distance apart as the gold was wide.

3) We then cut the lines to depth with 120 (or 105 or 90) degree gravers. So far this is the same as I have learned from Sam and Rex.

4) Then instead of using a flat graver to square off the channel, we used a bent liner (size 8-6). Mike likes the liner because it tracks much better than a flat.

5) We then undercut the side walls using a chisel that Mike gave each of us. He made them from old beading tools that were no longer usable. These he ground to look like screwdrivers. We held the graver at a 90 degree angle to the side and at a 45 degree angle from the surface and undercut the edges. This caused a lip to be raised. This will be used to lock in the gold wire tomorrow.

The rest of the time was used for some people to catch up with the group. I spent the time engraving the left side panel of the frame. More to come tomorrow.

 

[Ste82]

Thank you Beathard! I'm really appreciating your post, some how is like to be there with you!
Stefano.

 

[Paul Russell]

Thanks for starting, and continuing this thread Beathard. For a person that's relatively new to the craft, I'm picking up some real pearls of wisdom from you, and other forum members here.
Cheers, Paul.

 

[TyG]

Can't wait to see the finished work Gerry.