Been Playing

[ddushane]

Here's a couple of scrolls I cut earlier today. They're scrolls from Steve Lindsey's website that he said could be practiced on. I shrunk them in Corel draw. I'm having a hard time getting my graver going into the steel at the right angle all of the time and some times the graver tends to go deeper than I'm wanting and the cuts get wider than I'm wanting, I need more practice. Weldon Whitley, a local knifemaking friend of mine, some of yall probably know him, he's been making knives for 25-30 yrs and in the Knifemakers Guild. Anyway he's shown me most everything I know about engraving to this point, Weldon has been engraving for several years and is putting some nice engraving on his knives. I've played with his scope a couple of times in the past. He's been great to help me over the years in knifemaking and now the engraving. Any and all constructive criticism wanted and needed, also included a picture of my engraving set up, Dwayne

 

[Tim Wells]

Those inconsistent depth lines are something that will be alleviated through practice and time behind the graver. I've cut that pattern a few times and it was one of the first things I tried, they don't look good enough to post anywhere though.

Obviously your center lines are too deep but the outlines of the leaves look good and expressive for the most part. The way I sometimes keep my running angle as constant as possible is to plant my middle finger to the side of the graver once I establish the necessary angle and then lightly drag the finger tip along the surface. It serves as kind of a jack that limits the up & down movement of the aft end of the graver. Also, don't cut too fast or at least faster than you can bail yourself out before it's too deep and too late.

To clarify, the graver is pinched between my thumb and my first and middle fingers on the other side. You will find that sometimes the metal grain will change hardness so to speak and you'll be cutting along minding your own business and the metal will have a spot harder than the surroundng metal (poor, uneven heat treating?) and the graver hits this harder spot and it climbs out of the metal and slides across the job. You have to cut slowly enough that you can feel what the graver is doing and adjust angle to compensate for this skating tendency and keep the tip in the metal.

I also use the side of my thumb and do the same thing letting it ride alongside the graver. One last thing, the surface you cut has to be the same level as the one you ride your thumb over. In the picture above that technique won't work obviously as your thumb or finger will drop off the side of the plate due to it's narrowness. I hope this helps if you try it.

 

[ddushane]

Thanks Tim, I'll try it.

 

[Dave London]

Keep up the practice you are doing well it just takes time and practice,ete,etc