A model 21 in the works and a painting I've started. With the painting I'm still refining values and composition but never fear the purple will eventually give way to other colors. I just hope the colors-to-come will make sense.
Gordon, I only cut the main outlines of the scrolls or design close to the gold so I don't lose the design. Not much point in shading as it will be diminished when you sand the gold.
I didn't anneal it but I'll go ahead and answer your next question-it is hard and if it was annealed it would have been easy to engrave, and especially the inlay.
Very nice Lee...but slow down, you are wearing me out trying to keep up!
Back in the late '80s to early '90s I did several M21s for the USRAC custom shop...the boss there told me the specs for the frame called for 42 to 46 C on the Rockwell scale for hardness and that they tried to keep them in the 42 range so they could be engraved. They are tough and it takes a good bit of extra time to engrave one, plus a lot of tool sharpening and a good vocabulary. I have heard that anything over 37 is starting to be difficult to cut.
The 21's are definately a challenge sam younare correct with the hardness when i did work with the custom shop Bruno told me the same thing i agree that anything over 37 gets trying one i did a while back was actually a pleasure to cut Go figure
So keep at it Lee its really looking special especially when younhave to compensate forbthe hardness
Marty