This is not a monumental effort like Mike's trio of SSAs but thought I would post this progress photo. Gold needs a bit more work before sending off for CC.
The two terms "Sam Welch Scroll" and "Simple" do not correlate. I've watched him create these beautiful flowing scroll patterns for many years - even tried to cut them myself.....one fateful time....failed...never tried that again.
Monk, the action, lever and I suppose falling block will be case color hardened. Then I will polish off the colors from the scroll surfaces and the leaves.
So you're drawing directly on the piece and your magnification consists of an opti-visor, that is seriously amazing work. Are you mirroring the work to the other side of the action with the transfer wax clear tape method or a different design all together?
T.G. the other side is a mirror image. Yes, I smeared a fine black powder into the cuts of this side, lifting with cellophane tape and put tape to tape to mirror the design, placing that onto the other waxed side. Then I make a smoke pull of the first side and use that to aid in redrawing the mirrored design to get it as close as I can. I always use transfers as a means to get all the elements correctly located and then redraw for correctness. And also yes, I only use an optivisor. I have an excellent eye doctor!