"HI" from a New Guy...

[CJ Allan]

A friend, Joe Keeslar, (ABS) directed me to this site Tuesday,last week.........
and I ain't been right since........

I have sat in front of this screen til I'm crosseyed...can't get away from it.....and I LOVE it....!! So much sharing of top quality information, I'm overwhelmed.

I guess a short bio is in order , so.........

Started pinstriping in the mid-50s in So Cal
Progressed (?) to airbrush, paint, machinist, building bikes & cars, havin fun, blackpowder guns, Knives...etc
That brought me to hand engraving...late 70s/early 80s.....Figgered I could do my own knives & such
Met Ray Phillips at the old GW gunshow, got a Magna-Graver & small Vigor block....
Joined the FEGA in '82 I think....( Meetings were in Vegas......)
Tried to stay in FEGA, but had a hard time remembering to re-up the dues, & by the time I remembered, it was Nov/Dec, so figgered to wait till next June..........fergot again...... Tried again......fergot again.......will try again this coming JUNE ( I hope)

Met Don Glaser, FEGA Show (82 or 3?)......bought all his demo stuff...Gravermax, Magnablock, powerhone,,,,etc..He didn't want to haul it all home, & "I" did......

Been plowing through motorcycle stuff for the last 25 years......
Burned out......Ya can only do just so many damn flames, skulls, broads, spiderwebs, not to mention dealing with morons, I mean un-informed people, for so long..
The plus side of my work...........It's put some beans on the table.........
The down side..........Like I said.."Plowing" , I've developed a heavy hand, that has caused any fine engraving I could attempt, to really suffer...

I've lost so much touch with the "REAL" engraving world............that now I look around & don't have a clue as to all the really great stuff that's now out there........
BUT...I'm plannin on catchin up...FAST !

This place has done something that I didn't think I'd ever feel again as far as engraving goes.........

I feel the soft glow of an old flame startin to grow once again in my belly..............and I like it......... Sound Corny.........?? Oh Well........ hahahah

I guess that's pretty long winded, but thas the short version ...........

Hope to hang around here & start learnin'..............

Thanks for listenin'

CJ Allan
West KY (for now)

PS: BE ADVISED........ I will be be getting some one-on-one lessons in the near future.........

 

[Abigail]

Hi CJ,
Welcome to the cafe! I'm glad you found us. We are very happy to have you. It sounds like you will fit in perfectly here.
Cheers!
Abigail

 

[Billzach]

CJ
I,m just up the road from you about 30 miles, glad to see you here..Billzach

 

[Michael Orticelli]

CJ, you write from the heart and I'm sure your work comes from the same place! Good to hear from you. I have learned plenty from these kind folks, they possess a wealth of information and are kind enough to share it with us.

m

 

[mtgraver]

Hi CJ, In August the Contemporary Longrifle Association is having it's annual show in Lexington, KY. So if you like muzzleloaders and all the things that go along with it come check it out. We have a lot of fine engravers, carvers, scrimshanders and the list goes on. Their website is www.longrifle.ws if you'd like more stimulation.
Mark

 

[Dulltool]

Hey welcome JC....
Sounds like you've had a interesting background.... again welcome to the Cafe.

Dennis

 

[Tira]

Welcome CJ!

I also started on motorcycle parts and as you say - it's a bit different with the "plowing" and all. Glad you found us and hope you have as much fun here as the rest of the community.

 

[Gator]

Wecome CJ,
You'll like it here, nice people.
Gator

 

[CJ Allan]

THANKS for the warm welcome everyone..........

Abigail.......Thank You..I'm certainly hoping to fit in, probably make a pest out of myself trying to catch up with the real world.....

Billzach.......Hope to get with you in the near future......Doin' coins sounds like a lot of fun to do.....Gotta try it....

Michael....Gotta write from the heart.....My brain is usually on "tilt", or so I've been told.......

Mark........I'll definatly be checking that out....Thanks

Dennis......"Interesting" background would definatly be an understatement...........

Tira.......Burned out on MC parts (& people).......But still do work for a few shops....Want to get back to real engraving..or at least try...
Just checked out my website, for the first time in a couple years..........Guess I need to do it over & put up something worthwhile.......

Gator........Thanks.........I've met some of the folks here a bunch of years ago....and liked em then, pretty sure I'll be liken em still.....

................cj

 

[sam]

CJ: Welcome to the the Cafe. Your first 3 posts are reviewed before going live. After that, when you post everyone will see it right away.

Have fun and enjoy the fellowship we have to offer.

Cheers / ~Sam

 

[CJ Allan]

Thanks Sam..

Already been enjoying your place here.......

But........ especially "THANK YOU" for having this place to go to.....


.........cj

 

[michaelp]

welcome cj glad to have you

 

[pilkguns]

CJ, I think I know you, but the memories kindof fuzzy. Maybe we met at some of the Nashville gun shows, or maybe at the Harley dealer in Nashville back when I was doing motorcycle parts? would have been 15 years ago or so.

In any event, welcome aboard.
Scott

 

[monk]

you say you don't like dealin with what ? maroons ? aint no maroons here ! just morons like me ! hope you learn something here. there's plenty here to absorb.

 

[Ron Smith]

Welcome CJ, Grab a cup and pull up a chair. You'll like the atmosphere, but let me warn you. There are a few uninlightened on the customer end of the engraving trade too. Fortunately it is Better now than it was thirty years ago and getting better thanks to FEGA, GRS training programs, willing teachers and Igraver.com.......... Education is the key.......Ron S

 

[iqwkrnu]

CJ: Your engraving on Indian larrys "Chain of Mystery" bike is awsome. I would guess from your bio , it has to be you. Did Ed Roth or Von Dutch inspire you? As a total new bee to me starting to learn to engrave, your work , the engraving pros here, the tips from everyone here, and the photos are helping me to get a few tools together to try it myself. Looking forward to seeing more of your engraving. Steve (Iqwkrnu)

 

[monk]

god, ed-big daddy roth ! what an amazing fellow ! i will never admit to being a # 1 fan of his ! ever see his
beatnik bandit ?

 

[CJ Allan]

Thanks Mike..........

Scott.......
Yes, I'm pretty sure we've met. I remember you contacting me a few years ago about your wanting to put some of my style work in a book or something you were doing at the time. I gotta apologize for not getting back to you......guess I got lost er sumpthin..
Seein' as to how close you are, I would like to get with you in the near future on getting my lettering together.....it's one of the things that has suffered since I got into "plowing".

Thanks Ron.......
I'm already thoroughly enjoying this place, Lot's of great info, & people.
Thirty years ago, there wasn't anything I could find......and all that's available now is fantastic......
I think we've met at an FEGA meet a long time ago......Hope to meet ya again sometime

Steve.......
You've touched a couple important spots in my life.......
Indian Larry was a very GOOD friend, and the "Chain" bike was more of a favor to him than anything else......I had/have no use for the Discovery Channel, & those idiotic biker build-offs.........
When we lost him, I pretty much lost interest in doing much more engraving.........The HARDEST job I've ever done is engraving the urn his ashes are in......

Monk.........
You'll love this.....I worked for Ed in '59 airbrushing the old Monster Sweatshirts.(pre silkscreen & T's). he was sticking together the "outlaw" & it was just a bunch of old rusty parts on wheels with a half done body.........
Yes he was an influence to me, along with probably millions..still is..
Last saw him in Burbank not too long before he died
The last time I saw Dutch was at one of the old Original "RF" Reunions........(before it turned into the wanna-be hang-around shows its turned into.......it started out as just a get-together for a handful of pinstripers & friends)......kept meaning to get up to the compound, but he died before I could get around to it..

Now all three of those guys are gone..but they ain't dead by a long shot.......Never will be!!

Pretty long winded.........eh ??
& this is just the "Short" version........

Sometimes when I get to thinking about the things I've done, the places I've been. and the people I've been privleged to have in my life..........I do tend to get carried away......... I'll try to hold it down.......this ain't a memory lane.......it's a really Kool engravers site........


Thanks again for the warm welcome.........

.........cj

 

[Neo Dutch]

Great to see that you've getting the urge to do some more cutting mate. I miss reading your posts over at Letterville.

 

[ddushane]

Good to have you CJ! Have a good time here! There's a lot to learn here! Dwayne