Finished buckle set from tutorial

[cowboy_silversmith]

Robert~ I use a Dremel electric engraver as pictured. The first tip depicted is the carbide tip that comes with the dremel package. All I did to modify it was to grind it down to a more manageable size so that I can work around my overlays. The second tip depicted is for getting into very narrow spots without bumping into and wreaking havoc on the overlays. I made this from an old Busch carbide burr. Hope this helps!

Best regards,
Greg Pauline

 

[SharpGraver]

Greg

are your boarders done with a really tiny wriggle tool?

David

 

[cowboy_silversmith]

David~ I used a #2 knife graver with a polished heel to wriggle the borders.

Best regards,
Greg Pauline

 

[bitmaker]

That is great. Thanks for the inspiration. I have a 3 piece on my bench right now and I wish I could get it to look a tenth that good. That sure gives me some good ideas, and inspiration. I also have a question about the stippling. I use a carbide point with my gravermister. Do you think the electric engraver works better? Thanks again.
Jim

 

[cowboy_silversmith]

Jim~ I have never used a gravermeister or graver max to stipple. When I worked last with Pete Schier at Le Nouveaux West, he had a chicago pneumatic variable speed air scribe that I was highly impressed with. It renders the desired results while accomplishing the job much quicker. Until I can afford that extravagance the electric engraver has reliably buzzed me through plenty of pieces and looks just as good.

Best regards,
Greg Pauline

 

[rod]

Greg,

Thanks you so much for letting us see the final result! This is an art form that inspires me, and you are a front runner!

best

Rod

 

[webad2006]

Greg,

Aside from the electric engraver for stippling , what other tools do you use for main (bright-cuts) engraving? Just wondering, since this is the main field of engraving that I'm interested in.

 

[Brian Hochstrat]

Greg, great tutorial, I am going to have to give it a try. I have done a couple overlay buckles similar, but your system looks much easier to control everything during soldering than the way I went about it, Thanks for sharing. Brian

 

[cowboy_silversmith]

Rod & Brian~ Thank you for the positive remarks. It is much appreciated!

webad2006~ I used a single point (others may call it a 90 degree, something like that)for defining seperation of the scrolls and some of the leaves. I used 2 different #45 flats. One to bright cut inside radius of leaves and scrolls. The other to bright cut and bevel the outside radius of leaves and scrolls (this has a much more flat and shallow heel). I used a fine 20/18 liner to accent the scroll and leaves. I used an 18/12 to cross hatch.

Best regards,
Greg Pauline

 

[smays]

I notices the edges of your scrolls are beveled... do you do this with a flat graver before polishing?

 

[smays]

my first try

the beginning of a cart buckle. It's brass over nickel(so I wont feel so bad when I screw it up!). Greg, am I heading in the right direction? Call me lazy... but I'm probably not going to cut inbetween the scolls due to this being practice and all. I hope I get faster... the scrolls took me over an hour each! I guess my next step is to solder it, then dome it, then cut out the middle. OR... could I cut out the middle but leave a couple tabs to prevent it from losing shape?

thanks,
Shawn

 

[cowboy_silversmith]

Shawn~ You are correct in assuming that the outside radius of the scrolls are bevel cut and is done with a #45 flat graver. I do this after I polish with White Diamond compound but before the final rouge polish. I really like the design and flow of the overlayed scrolls that you have here! I can envision how beautful it would look if it was fully pierced and sawn throughout the design. As far as the opening, you can go either way, which ever makes you feel most comfortable. Oh.....and you are definitely heading in the right direction. Can't wait to see the finished piece!

Best regards,
Greg Pauline

 

[smays]

Greg... I may have missed it somewhere... but do you use gold fill for your overlays? If so, when you engrave it, wouldnt you cut through the gold into the brass? over time wouldnt it discolor. another question... if it is a buckle or something with alot of wear and tear, the gold will eventually come off wouldnt it? what are some tips on gold fill?

thanks
shawn

 

[cowboy_silversmith]

Shawn~ Yes, I would say approximately 90% of the overlays I employ is 1/10 10 karat gold. If you engrave through the gold and into the base metal, the base metal will discolor over time and will render an unsightly two tone affect. So when I engrave this gold fill I lighten up on the depth at which I normally engrave as the gold layer is typically .003" to .0035" thick. Another precaution to take is to be careful during the polishing process as you can remove a tremendous amount of this solid gold layer if you're not careful in your technique. When my daughter was born in 1986, I made a keychain fob for my wife. It has a sterling base and her name in 1/10 10 karat gold fill. Well she has used and abused this keychain fob for all 21 of these years and the gold is just now starting to wear through on a few corners. When I make pieces using this gold fill, I usually tell prospective clients that the next upgrade is to go with solid karat gold. I do wish all customers could order the solid karat gold as this is much more pleasurable to work with and offers me the best opportunity to employ my best work.

Best regards,
Greg Pauline

 

[webad2006]

Greg,

When you cut a finding out of a gold filled (plated) sheet, what do you do about the exposed edges of the base material? Will it show through enough to be noticed? How can you protect it from tarnishing?

 

[cowboy_silversmith]

webad~ I really don't worry about it too much. The exposed edges are predisposed to tarnishing (just the nature of the beast) but fortunately this area is not noticed as readily as most of the visual is looking at the piece face up. You can protect the piece for a little while by applying a laquer coat to the finished piece. However since what we make is functional and wearable, it is just a matter of time before this laquer finish begins to thin and wear away in some places faster than other areas and again you are left with an ugly two tone effect. The only way to truely circumvent this occurance is to use solid karat gold. I don't know if you just phrased the terminology wrong but just in case; gold filled is not a plated product. Generally plating is a whisper of gold that is deposited electrolitically to the face of the base material and is generally measured in millionths of an inch. Gold fill is an actual sheet of solid gold that is "laminated" to a base material and is generally measured in thousandths of an inch. 1/10 gold fill has twice as much gold as 1/20 gold filled material. Please forgive me if I am telling you something you already know.

Best regards,
Greg Pauline

 

[webad2006]

Greg,

I'm not real familiar with this type of sheet gold. I only heard about it on Diane's video, and from a few buckle makers that mentioned useing it. That's why I'm interested in finding out these type of things. Hope you don't mind?

 

[cowboy_silversmith]

Webad~ Not at all, it is entirely my pleasure to share what I know.

Best regards,
Greg Pauline

 

[bitmaker]

My favorite trophy buckle that I won is a Skyline from 1983. I was the president of the Hartnell college rodeo club, and got to help design the buckles for our rodeo. Since Hartnell is in Salinas we wanted the buckles to look something like the Salinas Rodeo buckles. I don't imagine many of you have seen on, but they are one of the most coveted buckles in the PRCA, behind only a world champion buckle.The buckle we came up with says Hartnell and the year,'83, in script. We could not afford gold, so had to settle for gold fill. I ended up winning the saddle bronc riding, and as I said, treasured the buckle. I wore it every day for probably 15 years. But eventualy the gold started wearing off and I stopped wearing it because I didn't want to ruin it. But it lasted a long time.

 

[gail.m]

you might be interested to know....

Hauser and Miller in St L, Mo has a product they call Bi Metal.
It is 18 or 22 kt gold fusion bonded to sterling sheet.
18 kt comes in 20 and 24 ga
22kt comes in 18 and 24 ga.
I have found it to be very workable, and some interesting effects can be had by cutting thru the layer of gold and using a black patina on the silver.
I have no financial ties with this Co. and they are nice folks to do business with. I get 99% of my precious metals from them.
Good luck and thank you for your contributions to this forum, and thank you, Sam for hosting such a great place to visit.
gail.m