Background dots

[KyleMontoya]

I’m trying to make this background effect shown in this picture.

I’ve tried a dot punch, but it broke pretty quickly and didn’t really give the effect either. I tried making a shallow punch but I couldn’t polish the inside so it makes the dot rough. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[ByrnBucks]

Good evening Kyle I have also wanted to dabble in this background effect but have yet to even try dot punch cant wait to hear the suggestions from the seasoned veterans. Thanks for the inquiry and have a great day. BB

 

[silvermon]

GRS, look for beading tools. Gesswein too.

 

[monk]

breaking the punch: you're working on steel that is too hard. anneal first if possible.
perhaps you're working with punches of inferior grade. quality punches can be counted on for quite a lot of service.
buy a graded set.

 

[KyleMontoya]

breaking the punch: you're working on steel that is too hard. anneal first if possible.
perhaps you're working with punches of inferior grade. quality punches can be counted on for quite a lot of service.
buy a graded set.

I bought dot punches, not realizing a beading tool is what I wanted. I think?

 

[John B.]

Many dot or beading punches are made for use on jewelry and softer metals.
These will not stand up to the punching required for steel or firearms.
The best American punches for these metals are the ones made by the Ngraver Co.
Sadly, these Ngraver punches are now difficult to buy and in short supply.
Hopefully, someone will produce punches of Ngraver quality again soon.
Until then, I suggest we all learn to anneal and re-harden the punches that are available on the market for use on hard steel and firearms.
Or make our own from scratch.

 

[tdelewis]

I get my punch dot tools from engraver.com, Tira Mitchell. They are very good and durable. I polish them by using diamond spray on leather and spin the point in the leather. I use No. 1 or 2 for background.
Tira Mitchell's Hand Engraving Tools, Jewelry Tools and Stone setting tools (engraver.com)

 

[JJ Roberts]

Ray Phillips made the finest tools for engraver's I glad I stock up an dot punch's and his liner's. J.J.

 

[silvermon]

I get my punch dot tools from engraver.com, Tira Mitchell. They are very good and durable. I polish them by using diamond spray on leather and spin the point in the leather. I use No. 1 or 2 for background.
Tira Mitchell's Hand Engraving Tools, Jewelry Tools and Stone setting tools (engraver.com)

Vallorbe Swiss is a very good manufacturer of files. I imagine the beading tools are quite good too.

 

[rweigel]

I could just speak for beading tools, which I use for stone setting in gold an silvber. Mine (from Busch, a german brand) have got almost knive-sharp edges around the “bowl”. When using this type in steel, you probably have round off this edge first, else it might break.

One could also get a “fion”, no idea what it is called in english.

Goldschmiedebedarf -> Fassen / Gravieren -> Formen - Horst zu Jeddeloh GmbH Onlineshop

The points are made from tungsten carbide with rounded, polished tips and serve to reshape a beading tool after wear or a broken egde. One could also make dot punches with them from your favorite punch blanks… just mill a tiny depression in the punch‘s front face, set it on the appropiate point and hammer the punch down until the hollow shape is to your liking. Then remove carefully the material arround the hollow until the punch produces the shape you like.

I have never found out if one should anneal the beading tools before using the fion… It works without annealing for reshaping with my tools.

Cheers

Ralf

 

[John B.]

tdelewis,
Thanks for the tip.
To be fair and honest, must say I have not tried Tira's dotting punches on guns.
They might be good and hold up to hard steel. Will give them a try.

 

[Leland Davis]

Tira;s punches are great quality but like John said they are not for gun work. I use them but I put them in my heat treat oven at 400f and let them cool slowly seems to work for me your results may vary.

 

[Dave London]

I get beading tools from Gesswein in 100 packs, depending on the steel I have use one tool on a complete job other time broke a bunch LOL. Good luck
just like gravers they are consumable tools

 

[Leland Davis]

Dave's experience is what I had too. I was using them on stainless Vaquero broke a lot of them until I started drawing back the temper. In fairness to the tools Ruger stainless is pretty hard.

 

[Winstonklein]

I use Glardon Vallorbe Swiss Beading Tool 100 Pack. quality and consistency all the time. The price is good too.

Glardon Vallorbe Swiss Beading Tool 100 Pack

Tira Mitchell's Engraver.com provides PulseGraver engraving tools and engraving training for hand engraving, stone setting, and jewelers

www.engraver.com