Critique request and some questions

[thughes]

I'm looking for critique on my design, cause I already know my lettering is the worst I've done in a while, terrible. But overall design wise, what do ye'll think. I seem to kind of be stuck and I was trying to do something a little different than MY usual.

On the question side, I had a ton of trouble trying to do this lettering. I sharpened my flat the way sam taught me, and which has worked fine on sterling stuff and the stainless steel cubes I've been practicing on, but not so much on this thing. The corner kept breaking off and since I am not real skilled yet, resulted in some of those funny shaped letters as I tried to hide the results of my skids after point failure. I finally gave up and finished it with my 105 and tried to fake the flare cuts. I'm wondering if the problem is the unsupported side of the knife flexing and causing vibration? I had the other side bedded firmly in thermo loc.

My other question is the border. I found I couldn't mark my border with my dividers because of the big bevel on the side of the handle. I guess if you had a set of dividers with one leg a lot shorter than the other, maby that would work. In this case I just cut it free hand with no line and tried to stay a uniform distance from the edge. How would ya'll deal with that big bevel?

Well, thanks for any advise and everyone have a safe and happy holiday.

Todd

 

[Brian Marshall]

First suggestion... go back and look at the thread "has anybody seen" by Monk.

Maybe make sumthin' similar to get your border scribed?

Second - unless the client ordered it that way - I would normally have the lettering read other side up, with the blade facing down?


Brian

 

[thughes]

Thanks Brian, there's a clip on the other side, and a split in the handle/frame (I guess it's a frame lock style) so it had to be on this side of the knife. And to be honest, I wasn't sure which way should have been up, so I asked them what they wanted and they said this way.

 

[Mike Fennell]

I do Most of my lettering witha 120, so tip breakage has not been a problem even on very hard material.

I really like your scroll treatment.

 

[Texasgerd]

Todd
I've engraved a number of the buck's like you pictured. The M42 gravers seem to hold up sig better than HSS. Watch the edges and around the pins as the steel is work hardened. Even then, I used a 116 w/ out too many issues. I also modified my dividers to make one side longer and get around the curved edge. It was a matter of simply replacing the tip w/ a straight shank of steel. I don't really like working on the bucks because of the large etched portion. It takes away from the options. Even then, they are good cheap practice knives.
Watch your border cuts too. They appear to wiggle (thick / thin) which really stands out on a simple line.

Dan

 

[Southern Custom]

Todd,
I wouldn't fret so much over the engraver you use to accomplish the task. Myself and I'm pretty sure quite a few others cut lettering with a variety of gravers. I originally learned with a flat. I had no teacher so I was never able to get my sharpening technique down and was never satisfied enough to cut it commercially. Years later I taught myself to cut Palace Script with a 116 degree engraver. Once I learned it that way I've never looked back.
As for border, purchase a set of dividers that have adjustable tips. I keep a set of these with one tip shorter and polish so as not to mar the outside. It was made specifically for jobs like yours.
Layne Z

 

[Artemiss]

there's a clip on the other side, and a split in the handle/frame (I guess it's a frame lock style) so it had to be on this side of the knife. And to be honest, I wasn't sure which way should have been up, so I asked them what they wanted and they said this way.

Todd,

I think Brian meant that the lettering should stay on the same side, but turned 180 degs.
The fact that your client asked for it in this orientantion, indicates he didn't know which way around it should be either.
Sometimes you will need to 'guide' the client!

Jo

 

[Sam]

Todd: Laying out borders next to a bevel like that can be a royal pain. I don't know a simple solution. There have been times when I've had to draw them by hand because dividers or whatever gadgets I have just didn't work.

You can expect broken points when engraving some stainless steels, especially items like this where it's open under the part you're engraving. The vibration and bounce can contribute to broken points. Again, no simple solution other than to switch to HSS gravers or maybe use a V-point graver instead of a flat. As you've learned, what appears to be a simple looking job can really throw some curveballs at you.

I'm not opposed to the stylized leaf to the right of the scroll, but it's not my favorite. With the black background in the scroll I think it's a little off balance.

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

One suggestion on cutting stainless is to use a good lubricant oil, I have the "Smoil" from Alexander Sidorov.
Another suggestion like said before, "do not polishing the graver for cutting Stainless Steel"
Third one, I did cut a similar knife and fist took it apart by unscrewing it, then use thermoloc and you won't have those vibrations.

arnaud

 

[Robert Morales]

I'm no expert, but to me, the two leaf patterns tied together don't seem natural. It's like seeing a rose grow from an oak tree.
If they were separate, as in one being a border, it would seem more natural. Keep up the good work!

 

[thughes]

Thanks ya'll for the thoughts.

 

[atexascowboy2011]

Todd
Remember this.
Even God makes mistakes.
Otherwise he would have stopped with Texas.

There is a culture that makes beautiful art work and then goes back and puts in a flaw, knowing that nothing that we can create will ever be perfect.

Your engraving looks great to me. If you don't think so, get one of those computer engravers and tell folks that you personally punched the button that designed and engraved their item while you kicked back and watched.

Merry Christmas!
Jeff