Critique Request photos of sterling wire inlay

[Bama]

Here are photos of my first atempt at wire inlay. I must say that this was a harder project than I expected it to be. I don't think it turned out terrible but I know I have a long way to go before I come within a 1000 miles of some of the work I have seen on this site.

Here are some of the problems I ran into while I was working on this project.

1. I used a No. 37 flat GRS graver for the QC adaptor. This had the standard configuration as it comes from GRS. I experianced a lot of heal drag in the tight turns. I am going to atempt to relieve the backside of the graver to eliminate this problem. Any sugestions would be appreciated.

2. I did not have the fob backed well enough when I tried to set the wire. The fob was dishing as I tried to set the wire. I tooking care of this by providing a better backing, once I did this the last little bit of wire did stay in place.

3. Sam I appologize in advance for the butcher job on your boarder. All I can say is I will work on doing better on the next one. Thanks again for sharing and giving me someting to try to cut.

4. I used sterling wire from the start. I should have asked before I started and I would have known to use pure silver.

I am currently working in Baton Rouge and there are a few LSU fans here so that is how I came up on the theme.

I am currently working on trying to get ready for a Lee's scroll class in October so you will be seeing fobs with some scroll work in the next few months. I will be looking for comments to help me be ready. I am not thin skinned so don't hold back. :beat up:

 

[John B.]

Hi Bama,
There is absolutely no reason to use a flat with its inherent heel drag when cutting a curved channel for inlay IMO.
The wire doesn’t know or care if the bottom of the channel is flat. The important thing is to have straight walls and clean top edges.
If you use a round bottom graver with parallel sides and a short heel you will eliminate almost all of your heel drag problems.
It’s no harder to undercut a round bottom channel than one with a flat bottom.
I like the little design of the crossed leaves that you did coming off the hole in the pendant.
Best wishes.

 

[leroytwohawks]

Bama, I have only tried a strait line so far on silver inlay and I used fine silver, much easier.:big grin: I'm attaching a picture someone put up once that was what I used for a reference, and it was clearly not intended to use a flat graver.

Good luck with your next one,
Kevin