Critique Request Finished a knife

[D.M.]

This is the knife I just finished. The blade is CPM S30V steel, the guard is Type330 Stainless Steel and the butt cover is 410 Stainless. The knife is my sole authorship.
The total bolster width is 1/2" so engraved area is smaller(~10mm). I tried to dig deep into the background but in narrow cuts I had to use 90 degree graver. Messer was breaking too often.
The shading is not perfect and I would like to hear some advice how to cut fine clear lines in the steel like Type 330. It produced burr no matter how well I polish the graver and what heel I put on it. I use 0.5 micron diamond compound on ceramic and a carbide graver.

I also tried to mimic the same design on the leather sheath.

As usual I can see my faults but would like to hear what others can see is wrong.

PS. That was the design that I was asking before. "How small details are too small". In this case I can not see my shading cuts without the glasses at all and the fine detailes are blurried .

 

[rayf24]

very nice thats a sweet knife very clean.
ray

 

[DiamondCactus]

nice work.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi DM

You have done a wonderful job of engraving that knife. And it is a very tricky surface to cut!!!

On some metals you just get slight burrs on the edge of the cut. The watches I engrave do the same thing. The only cure I've found for it is to carefully wrap some wet n dry paper (800 to 1200 grit) around a small file or stone (or something that is hard) and very lightly sand them off using oil as a lubricant...................just be careful not to round the edges of the cut. Most of the time I use well worn grit so it's not too agressive.

Don't attack the work surface, just caress it gently.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[monk]

i like the work very much. if you dislike going in "deep", don't do it. some of the finest work shown on the forum gives the illusion of depth when there is very little. it can look just as good, but with far less investment of your time. a little creative background texturing / coloring can give the wanted illusion.

 

[D.M.]

Thanks for all you inputs!

 

[tim halloran]

D.M.: I Have Found That If You Use The Cast Iron Lap, With The Diamond Spray, It Will Make Your Tools Considerably Sharper Than You Can Get Them With The Ceramic Lap. I Also Use C-Max Carbide On All The Stainless Steel I Cut. Also Use A Good Lubricant, Because Even Carbide Will Cut Better When Lubed.

 

[Roger Bleile]

D.M.

You did a very nice job on that knife

Why don't you let us know who you are by adding a signature line to your profile.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[D.M.]

To C. Roger Bleile:

Yes Sir! Right away Sir!