Rifle Engraving 30-06 Any Comments ?

[ChrisB]

I Received two Rifles to Engrave and Sculpt a Buffalo and Kudu On, As This is my try on rifles, I came up with this design for the Floor Plate and Trigger Guard.

 

[Glenn]

Chris,
I'm curious, is this a 98 mauser action with custom bottom metal? Will you be doing any engraving on the action? This will be a fun project to follow if you can post some pictures as you go along.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[Sam]

Chris: I think the straight frontal view of the kudu within the oval doesn't make a good composition. A 3/4 pose would work much better. If you must use that view, then consider different framing of the subject.

I think the bottom portion of the scrolls will work, but the large leafy portion on the top half near the hinge will not be as effective because those leaves appear awkwardly larger than the rest.

I applaud your efforts and with a little adjustment you can have a nice engraving.

~Sam

 

[fegarex]

Chris,
I think you are on the right track. I will say that you are going to have your hands full with a frontal view of the kudu however. Most any animal is hard to engrave compared to 3/4 view. Plus a different view may help fill the oval. Again, most any antlered animal is hard to put in an oval and have it all come together.
I think I would have your scrolls "kiss" the borders as well.
Rex

 

[Glenn]

Rex, for Petes sake this is horned animal. gotcha!!!

 

[ChrisB]

Thank Ya'all, I will take the advice in hand and try and Better the work, I Have had Numorous advice on the Kudu, Side view Full Frontal and Now 3/4, I will try some others.

Glen I really Don't Know, It has a Swing plate at the Bottom to remove rounds.

Rex, I will Deffinitely let the Scrolls go right up to the Border.

Thanks Sam.

 

[Marcus Hunt]

Hi Chris, I have to agree with Sam and Rex on this. In addition, I also think the whole vignette needs centralising and out of balance on the plate as the scrolls make it look top heavy. A very good attempt though, it just needs some slight adjustments.

The 2 gold damascenes show a kudu 3/4s on and the other, a waterbuck from front on. The client requested this picture so that's what he got, but as Sam and Rex say the front on view a) isn't as easy to do well and b) doesn't have quite the same impact.

 

[ChrisB]

Hi Marcus, That Is Awsome,!! I have had a few Tips on Moving the Oval to the Centre, Will Do, And Try another Kudu, If I Get This One Right The Other Rifle with a Impala Antelope Should be a Breeze, That Is Drawing It. But Cutting,? We Will See.

ps. What Would a Job like the waterbuck & Scrollwork Cost,? just to get a Idea.

 

[ChrisB]

O.K. This is my Other Try, Got Up at 4 this morning to finish it, It kept me awake all night!!!

 

[Marcus Hunt]

Hi Chris, to me A looks great, B looks good too but i don't like the leaves on the outside of your top most (on the plate) scrolls. If you engrave them as is they'll look over stretched and very odd; not in keeping with the rest of your scrolls at all. 'A' on the other hand looks nicely balanced. Now to the kudus, I like A but it's a bit of a strange angle - like looking up his nose but it does have a certain dynamism about it. B is a nice kudu but the head is still basically looking at us straight on.

 

[ChrisB]

Thanks Marcus, will take the Advice in Hand, The "A' Kudu is Actually The Mount of the Animal That The Rifle Owner Shot.