My latest Zippo

[KCSteve]

Had a chance to cut my latest Zippo design this weekend. Left off the border because I wasn't happy with it. Looking at it, I don't think it really needs a border.

 

[Ranchman]

That looks great! I wouldn't put a boarder.

Jeff

 

[Roger Bleile]

Steve,

Is the Zippo solid brass or does the picture just make it look that way?

RB

 

[threefingerdave]

Steve,
VERY NICE!
good job
Dave

 

[richard hall]

looks like those classes finally paid off, nice job Steve

 

[Gene Tru]

Nice job Steve! Really looks great. Did you use Thermo loc to hold this in the vise?

Gene

 

[KCSteve]

Glad you guys like it!

Roger: Yep, solid brass. There are several Zippo models that are nicely engravable. I keep a list in my PDA of the model numbers:

161 - Brushed Copper
168 - Armor Brushed Brass
169 - Armor Polished Brass
204B - Brushed Brass
254B - Polished Brass.

'Brushed' vs. 'Polished' - just what it sounds like, either a brushed or polished finish. Note that the Polished ones are lacquered when you get them and should probably be lacquered when you finish to keep them nice.

'Armor' means it's a slightly heavier case. Only matters for engraving if you want to do some deep relief work (not that it'd be that deep in any case).

There are other 'Brass' models but they have the words 'SOLID BRASS' stamped into the surface which I didn't want to have to work into my design.

I need to add a few models to my list - while looking for a suitable lighter retail (shipping kills you if you order just one or two from a wholesaler) I picked up a Slimline polished brass. As the name implies it's slightly smaller and slimmer than a regular Zippo. I plan to do a more feminine design for it. Need to measure it and make a ThermoLoc fixture for it.

(Monk, I'll try to get the ever-indulgent wife to take pictures when I make the fixture so we'll have at least a crude tutorial on the subject).

A lot of the success of this Zippo goes to the forum and to the self-study kit from GRS with Ron Smith's books on Scroll design. The books are proving very helpful in learning to draw scrolls and the forum is, as usual, helping correct my misunderstandings. Can't wait for my class the first week in June with Lee Griffiths where I'll get more help on my design skills.

As I said of my first class with Marty: "Books, videos, even the forums are like someone telling you about how great their steak is. A live, in-person class is them giving you a bite of that steak."

 

[FANCYGUN]

That's much better Steve.
Now did I read a previous post correctly when you said you cut with a 105 and shade with your 120???????? Try it the other way around. Or cut with your 105 like I showed you and shade either with your 90 or a 70.
Good luck
Marty

 

[KCSteve]

Marty,

On this one I cut the main lines with my trusty 90 and shaded with my 120.

I've been going with Sam's advice to shade with the 120 because it allows you to get a greater line variation. But I think that, at least for now, I'm going to switch back. Right now I can 'afford' more variation in my main lines (but maybe not my scroll spines) but in my shading I'd benefit from keeping them a bit more regular. Next thing I cut I'll make the switch.

My smaller 105 is slightly off-center and I haven't had the 5 minutes to fix it yet. If I didn't have to 'waste' 9 hours a day here downtown I'd have the time to get these things done. Wouldn't have any money to get the toys to play with, but I'd have time to play with the ones I have, there under the bridge.

I need to spend some time working on my lettering. It's a highly perishable skill (at least for me) that I haven't practiced nearly enough, and the only thing with more cachet than a hand-engraved Zippo is a personalized hand-engraved Zippo.

 

[FANCYGUN]

Steve.............you want your shading lines to be finer than your scroll lines. Use a smaller graver for them or just do the whole thing with your 90. Forget the 120 for now.