John and Sam thank you for your response. My goal is to keep the long graceful taper of the tail feathers. I tried again today using Sam's advice scribe for the teeth and gold wire. Much better results. I did grind a hybrid cutter a 90 degree v point with flat sides total width .010 with it I...
I am doing the fox and pheasant in raised gold. My question is what is the best way to prepare the tail feather tips for gold. I have been practicing with fine silver. When I get the fine tips ready to hold the silver securely they are a little thicker than I want. Any suggestions?
Hot glue will stop the vibration better than the screws. Melt a thick layer of glue onto the block set the scale into it carefully, the entire back of the scale is supported.
My shop is about 200 yds from my house. My equipment for fabricating and bluing are all there keeps the mess out of the house. That cuts down on the wife telling me to clean up. I like the solitude when working. Just my opinion.
paps, the smoother you can apply what ever transfer fluid you use the better the transfer. I use thinned damar varnish. monk, fixxon transfer sheets are like pictorico sheets only much more reasonably priced. I like them better than pictorico. I bought 100 sheets years ago they cost 30 dollars...
I have engraved a lot of the Kershaw leeks and the stainless is hard. Did you disassemble the knife to engrave it? I used to take them apart and anneal the scales. That helps but gluing them to a hardwood block is the key for me, vibration is a tip killer. A 120 degree with a 50 degree face...
You mentioned your woodworking. Do you have a drill press? A very serviceable power hone can be done on a drill press. There are posts on this site that show how.
Thanks everyone for the comments. When blown up like the photo it looks way rougher than actual size. The biggest rabbit can be covered with a nickel.
Jeff I don't know about you but I'm trying all dots next time. If you figure this out let me know.
I finally finished my raised gold project or quit screwing with it and sent it away. This was my first attempt at gold animals and I struggled. The inlay went well. I used what SamW told me about sculpting the inlay cavity when the wire was all smoothed together already had the form of the...
Thank you all for the comments. If it weren't for people like monk and John B giving advice I couldn't have done this. mtlctr those are some nice pistols. I have been shooting and building muzzle loaders since 94. Mostly Lancaster and York pattern long rifles and a few pistols.
Thanks again, Leland
YouTube has a series by Ken Hunt on drawing scrolls. that would be a good place to start. What monk said about the notebook is good too. Keep working and posting your drawings. monk and others were a big help to me when I was trying to learn.