Be Gentle

[JourneymanBuilder]

Here are some pieces that I did this weekend, actually made money on them. I realize that its not up to the standard of the pros, but I'm gonna keep my day job

Lemme know what ya think.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Well Tom

I think that's pretty darn good. I'd be happy to have that on my flintlock/caplock any day.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[pilkguns]

looks fine to me

 

[KSnyder]

nice looking rifle & fowler furniture. the designs look correct.
Kent

 

[KCSteve]

Looks good to me!

Especially since it shows me that the little bit of scrolls I can do (basically the spines) can be made to look pretty nice without the usual level of embellishment.

 

[Ron Smith]

Tom, pretty typical period engraving. If your customer was pleased it is a winner, and besides it is a nice job to boot. Did you sculpt the finial too?..........clean work with good design elements..........Ron

Doesn't take much engraving to make it special...........

 

[JourneymanBuilder]

Thanks for the kind words,
I am by no means an accomplished engraver, but I do enjoy the work and feel that is an important part of engraving. I do subscribe to the K.I.S.S. method as much as possible especially with the time period I am trying to emulate. With more cutting time I am sure that my cuts will improve.
Ron, yes I cut on the finial but resorted to using files to clean it up, I suffer horribly from newbieitus mistakes. I am trying to cut to deeply in a single pass as well as trying to push the graver/tool thru the material. All with no "formal" training.
I just picked up another "job" today so will get another chance to ply my newfound addiction.

Thanks again for the kind words

 

[Joe Mason]

Hi Tom, Very clean work. You are doing good. Keep it simple and do the designs that you do well and after a while move up to a new level.

Joe

www.joemasonengraving.com

 

[sdcoxx]

Tom,
It is an addiction, the more you do, the sweeter the taste.
Enjoy...
Thanks for sharing,
Stephen

 

[Billzach]

Tom
I like it, it,s nice and smooth..

 

[silverchip]

Great stuff!!! Don't forget that most of the engraving done on original flinters was done by guys just like you.It's hard to keep from getting carried away on a job like this today.

 

[JourneymanBuilder]

Thanks again for all of the replies, Silverchip it is hard to try an stay within the "period" but I do enjoy the work.
Here is a piece I finished yesterday.

Lemme' know what you think.

 

[Bama]

Hi Tom

I am glad to see that there is someone else out there working on long rifle parts. That looks like a great job for a newbe, I am right there with you. I have had my equipment for about 6 weeks and have not moved from practice plates to the real stuff but I have a rifle that I am working on now that will be my first endevor with the new equipment. I hope mine turns out as well.

 

[Tim Wells]

I especially like that finial on the end. Looks like that crack in the picnic table would have served well as a means to hold that piece whilst engraving it, fits like a glove.

I have a set of brass parts for a friends rifle that I have yet to design what I'm going to put on it. Like you said before it is hard not to overdo one of these. My propensity is to scroll the heck out of it though, it's a fight to not overshade especially. I'll figure out a happy medium and cut it.

 

[Tom Curran]

Tom, I've seen this somewhere before!!!! I think on the ALR, perhaps. Good looking engraving, I must say, the style and execution are right for the period. I think a lot of folks have a hard time getting the look just right.

I read in one of your lines father back in the post that you are trying to cut your lines all in one pass. I think that would be very difficult to do, and it may be easier if you cut in multiple passes to get the depth you want.

Certainly the pro's should speak up here if i'm out of line.

This gradual deepening requires less force, and allows you to do minor correcting as you go. Widen the line on one side here, and go a little deeper there, etc. I think it would be less taxing on your hands to take lighter cuts.

On some of your first engraved parts, the bow of the guard, for example, I'd like to see a gradual widening of the cuts from start to finish. A variety in line width adds a lot of life to engraved work.

keep up the good work!

Tom

 

[JourneymanBuilder]

Tom,
I read a reply on another site that mentioned cutting shallow the first time thru and then deepening with successive cuts, that is where I'm at now, as well as depth control. I am only changing one thing at a time so its easier to see the results of the changes. There is alot to absorb about this craft and only hope that one of my kids will pick up the craft and go on to greatness, there are not enough years in this life for me to make a serious attempt at money doing this.

Bama,
What kind of equipment did you get? makes all the difference. I have drooled over your building abilities and have no doubt that you will do justice to the work.

Tim,
The guy I met that introduced me to the tools showed me a piece that he started 20 yrs ago, he claimed that he would not be able to finish it because his style of engraving had changed so much. At this point this is as good as I am and don't plan as of yet to expand beyond muzzleloaders. I only have about 35 actual cutting hours with the tools, so am happy with the progress so far. The custom engraving market seems a bit saturated at the moment.

Thanks again to all of the encouraging replies, I am kinda trying to do the one stop shop muzzleloader building thing.

 

[Tom Curran]

Tom you show lots of promise. Don't cut yourself short by saying 'I'll never' or the market is saturated, etc. These are stumbling blocks YOU are putting in your own path.

Just do what you want, when you want, let this hobby grow as you desire. Get pleasure out of it. That's what it's really about. You don't know in the beginning where something like engraving will go, if it will become a passion for you or sputter and die out slowly over time.

You are just beginning, but you show that you have a real talent for this, and a good eye. Keep at it.

Tom Curran