engraving pewter

[S.Hartzell]

anybody ever engrave on pewter realy soft any thing i should becareful of!

 

[jimzim75]

It's very easy to plunge into the metal. No micro keels on the graver. The keel has to be long to float the
blade on the surface of the metal. You can use Tap magic for Aluminum or kerosene for a lube if you need
to. If possible use a test piece to see how the graver is going to react. You can push grave most items
but, be careful. When there is light cut being made the wall don't hold the way they do on harder metals.
They will suddenly give way and your graver will go skating across the surface.

Use a practice piece to get the feel before you go to do the real thing.

Jim

 

[Martin Strolz]

My students practice in pewter, here are examples of such plates. They are using square or onglette gravers.
Please note the good effect of the highlightes on some lines as well as at the edge. You can do this using scotch brite for grinding before and a burnishing tool and some lube after engraving.
Do not scribe on pewter. During engraving the metal is extremely likely to be scratched by wiping away chips- resist such a temptation! Cover the items surface with a protective layer of paper and tape an place it on a soft surface for engraving.

Martin

 

[monk]

get yerself some cotton gloves at the drugstore. if this stuff has any kind of polish to it , your hand will will make a quick mess of the pretty finish. polishing pewter is like trying to polish dog poop. keep it scratch free from the gitgo !

 

[S.Hartzell]

thank you veary much the long heel that was my problem, mine was to small you saved my job from disaster s.hartzell

 

[S.Hartzell]

thanks monk, get the gloves out