mdengraver
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Engraving Pin heads, by Paul P. Wentz (American Horologist & Jeweler-Feb., 1950)
This subject is of little practical use to the engraver, however every student who has ever heard of pin head engraving presents a number of questions to the instructor regarding the subject. This is written as a resume of authors' articles in the aforementioned magazine.
Miniature engraving has long been a hobby of engravers in the past, both here and abroad. The pin has been selected as a symbol of a tiny object.
The author in his lifetime saw only three pinheads bearing the Lord's Prayer which were engraved in the conventional way, using regular gravers.
One of the above was by a U.S. Government engraver.
Another was done by a man in the state of Washington.
The third was done by the author.
Tradition tells us that the man who did the above work went blind and lost his mind. The author questions this as with his own experience, he found it took but three and one half hours to complete the Lord's Prayer.
The author engraved his pin, a brass one, in 1907 during the depression at that time. The pin he used had a head diameter of two mm. It had a rounded head, however, he filed it flat, then used a screw head polisher to give it a mirror finish.
The next step was to sharpen the script graver down to an extremely fine point.
A strong loupe is needed. Author does not tell what the approximate power was from the loupe he made up.
The next question involved which type of letter might be the more practical, since fanciness was out. It must be an alphabet that could be condensed. After numerous experiments, a sort of block letter, with a tinge of Japanese effect was considered the more practical.
Author experimented on engraving around the pin head in spiral fashion, also straight across, and decided the latter to be better.
The author suggests guide lines, although he did not used any.
The author never expected to do the Lord's Prayer when beginning. His first few attempts produced the complete alphabet to his amazement. Later he engraved the alphabet twice, then three times, four, five. Then he tried one in bold relief, i.e., cutting the background away. That particular pin is now in the Carnegie Museum, Pittsburg, Pa.
Mr. Wentz finished the Lord's prayer, left it lay around on his bench until some newsman picked it up. Then he received letters from engravers...from crackpots and all. Even Ripley featured it in "Believe it or Not".
Today it is in possession of the Pa. Historical Society in Philadelphia (Locust St.). If you take the so-what attitude the author states that it will definitely make one a better engraver, as it is great training for the eye, hand, and sense of touch.
This subject is of little practical use to the engraver, however every student who has ever heard of pin head engraving presents a number of questions to the instructor regarding the subject. This is written as a resume of authors' articles in the aforementioned magazine.
Miniature engraving has long been a hobby of engravers in the past, both here and abroad. The pin has been selected as a symbol of a tiny object.
The author in his lifetime saw only three pinheads bearing the Lord's Prayer which were engraved in the conventional way, using regular gravers.
One of the above was by a U.S. Government engraver.
Another was done by a man in the state of Washington.
The third was done by the author.
Tradition tells us that the man who did the above work went blind and lost his mind. The author questions this as with his own experience, he found it took but three and one half hours to complete the Lord's Prayer.
The author engraved his pin, a brass one, in 1907 during the depression at that time. The pin he used had a head diameter of two mm. It had a rounded head, however, he filed it flat, then used a screw head polisher to give it a mirror finish.
The next step was to sharpen the script graver down to an extremely fine point.
A strong loupe is needed. Author does not tell what the approximate power was from the loupe he made up.
The next question involved which type of letter might be the more practical, since fanciness was out. It must be an alphabet that could be condensed. After numerous experiments, a sort of block letter, with a tinge of Japanese effect was considered the more practical.
Author experimented on engraving around the pin head in spiral fashion, also straight across, and decided the latter to be better.
The author suggests guide lines, although he did not used any.
The author never expected to do the Lord's Prayer when beginning. His first few attempts produced the complete alphabet to his amazement. Later he engraved the alphabet twice, then three times, four, five. Then he tried one in bold relief, i.e., cutting the background away. That particular pin is now in the Carnegie Museum, Pittsburg, Pa.
Mr. Wentz finished the Lord's prayer, left it lay around on his bench until some newsman picked it up. Then he received letters from engravers...from crackpots and all. Even Ripley featured it in "Believe it or Not".
Today it is in possession of the Pa. Historical Society in Philadelphia (Locust St.). If you take the so-what attitude the author states that it will definitely make one a better engraver, as it is great training for the eye, hand, and sense of touch.
Last edited:
