Engraved jeweler's loupe

[Sam]

A big of deep relief on my Schneider jeweler's loupe. The metal is hard anodized aluminum, so it had a hard skin with soft base metal. It became problematic as I began modeling the elements with punches. It's hard to describe, but it was two-tone and really nasty looking, so I used aluminum oxide and blasted away the anodized finish and it smoothed out quite a bit. If I do the other side I will definitely remove the anodization first, but I think it'd be ok not to remove it if I was doing fine line shading instead of sculpting.

 

[mrthe]

Wonderfull Job and super photo!

 

[Marrinan]

Sam, Yes you did "okay"--beautiful work, would love to see a little closer if possible, if not thanks for sharing your work. Fred

 

[quickcut07]

Beautiful work Sam. It's funny how aluminum that we all look at as soft can be tough to do.

Eric

 

[Weldon47]

Nicely done!!

Weldon

 

[Sam]

Sam, Yes you did "okay"--beautiful work, would love to see a little closer if possible, if not thanks for sharing your work. Fred

Here you go Fred.

 

[scott99]

WOW,very fancy indeed.

scott99

 

[thughes]

Hey Sam, that's really cool. I tried to do a knife with aluminum scales that I didn't realize had been hard anodized. It's now a tackle box knife . Once I poked through the anodized coating, the aluminum was soft as usual, but trying to cut a smooth line was awful as the coating just kind broke or chipped unpredictably and my lines were jerky. The guy I was doing it for said it looked fine to him, but really it was awful looking. Lesson learned.

Todd

 

[Brian Marshall]

Yes, it IS nicely done...


However, looking at it from a metalsmiths point of view - ummm.... the two plates are held with screws.

I would have used them for patterns and tossed them.


Replaced them with a metal of value and easier to work. 18K, 14K, one of the Sterlings or exotic alloys...

Even replacing them with 400 series stainless or CP titanium would have made your job much easier!


Just a thought, for the next one.


Brian

 

[dlilazteca]

Sam

Nice light painting! I've been tinkering with that method also, how do you give it that finished look, Photoshop?

Can you point me in the right direction.

Thanks

Carlos De La O III

 

[Sam]

Yes, it IS nicely done...


However, looking at it from a metalsmiths point of view - ummm.... the two plates are held with screws.

I would have used them for patterns and tossed them.


Replaced them with a metal of value and easier to work. 18K, 14K, one of the Sterlings or exotic alloys...

Even replacing them with 400 series stainless or CP titanium would have made your job much easier!


Just a thought, for the next one.


Brian

Brian: For what these loupes cost you'd think they'd have something nicer than phillips head screws wouldn't you? I think some domed gun screws would look nice...anything but phillips (yuck). But the glass is bloody awesome and it's the sharpest loupe I own with the highest contrast and brilliant resolution. But yeah, some nicer plates from stainless or Ti would be excellent. Maybe I'll hire Arnaud to make me some

 

[Sam]

Sam

Nice light painting! I've been tinkering with that method also, how do you give it that finished look, Photoshop?

Can you point me in the right direction.

Thanks

Carlos De La O III

Carlos: Yes, I use Photoshop, and am basically doing what Andy suggests in his tutorial on light painting. I think I copied it to the Tips Archive. I lit this with an iPad and an LED flashlight per Harold Ross' (light painting guru) recommendation, plus used his flashlight adapters.

My second close-up photo was shot through my microscope and is not light painting.

 

[tsterling]

Hi Sam,

The engraving is your usual lovely craftsmanship, but I've got to say I'm really enjoying your light painting photography explorations.

And I agree about the screws. Thanks or showing, and great job!

Tom

 

[Brian Marshall]

The screws can also be replaced... and even engraved.


B.

 

[graniteguy52]

Sam,
Your usual exceptional work! I was wondering if the clarity and brightness of the Schneider loupe justifies it's price?
Thanks,

 

[dlilazteca]

Carlos: Yes, I use Photoshop, and am basically doing what Andy suggests in his tutorial on light painting. I think I copied it to the Tips Archive. I lit this with an iPad and an LED flashlight per Harold Ross' (light painting guru) recommendation, plus used his flashlight adapters.

My second close-up photo was shot through my microscope and is not light painting.

Sam

Thanks for the reply, what led flashlight are you using, I'm going to order a set of his adapters.

What I meant on the final picture how to you give it that antique/painted kind of look.

thanks again

 

[g.rohrbaugh]

Nice Work Sam,
As a machinist by trade I know that hard anodized aluminum can chip very easy. Looks like your loupe was clear anodize instead of black. That was a plus if that was the case.

Gary

 

[rod]

A wonderful piece of work, Sam, thank you!

And... a wonderful study, for us viewing your high mag photo.

Agreed, aluminum (aluminium) is soft, yet aluminum oxide is hard enough to be an abrasive, and a sand blasting powder... marvelous what a few extra elements can achieved when mixed into an alloy like salt and pepper. So good idea, as you suggest, to sand blast that very thin hard coating off, that we call anodized.

Working on a small canvas is quite sufficient to produce masterful results.

best

Rod

 

[Artemiss]

Engraving...? Photography...? Engraving...? Photography...? I couldn't decide which I liked the most.
Then I saw the close-up pic - the engraving definitely won!!! Absolutely STUNNING Sam!!!

Jo

 

[Roger Bleile]

Sam,

Lovely work! I believe that is the first time I've seen you use the "black leaf" style of ornament. Your rendition is very reminiscent of that used on pre-WWII German sporting guns. In Austria and Germany that style is known as Altdeutscher Laubgravur (old German leaf engraving). I have also heard Suhl engravers call it "Wetzlaub." Your relief work reminds me of the Laubgravur I've seen on the highest grade of Charles Daley shotguns made by H. A. Lindner.

Cheers,
Roger