Proper position

[joseph engraver]

It was one of the café’s posts that got me to thinking about the one thing that I have found missing in the threads I have read. What is the “Proper Positionâ€￾ of the engravers body in relation to the work? I dug up this old photo, with the hope that the proper position as I was taught will be of interest and help to you. Note, I am standing erect and as close to the work as possible. I had recently spent one and half years studying in Italy. Every day my maestro insisted that I maintain the correct position when I had a hammer in one hand and a chisel in the other. This meant elbows up. In the photo please note that my left thumb is NOT wrapped around the hammer handle but laid along side and is part of the conjoined action of the wrist and thumb muscles that drive the hammer. A novice will grab the hammer handle with all their strength and drive the chisel like they were pounding nails. Also please note that my first and index fingers are relaxed and the butt of the hammer handle rests cupped in the bottom of the hand. Look at where my elbows are positioned. One is at right angles to my body and is parallel to the work. The other one is also in a fixed position but slightly lowered to accommodate the hammer handle length. Forearms, elbows, shoulders, and arms are as rigid as a triangular tool fixture. The wrists and fingers do the magical work of guiding the tool point. Now pay attention to my left hand holding a chisel (in this case a lining tool set in a steel handle) Notice that only two fingers are lightly wrapped around the steel handle and that all the pressure being applied down to the tool point is done with the left forearm muscles. Notice also that my master eye is directly in line with the chisel point. This provides me with a line of sight to the chisel point and places the work in complete focus. What you cannot see is that my chin and the wrist of my chisel hand are firmly touching, thus giving me a bit of extra machine’s like rigidly. The movements that make the elegant curves that compose all fine engraving are imparted from the movement of the rest of the engraver’s body. Watching a stand up engraver work is like watching a ballet. All the body moves in harmony but the placement of the elbows and wrists is always the same. That way the contact point of the hammer and chisel is also constant. This is considered the proper stance to maintain for stand up hammer and chisel engraving used by the majority of European trained gun engravers. This photo was taken at the Winchester custom shop in1983 and is a posed photo that later was used on the Model 21 Grand American brochure covers. I have no clue who took it. I was a handsome devil, no wonder I had so many woman’s problems.
Once again, I would be remiss in not reminding anyone who is interested in art, love, engraving and truth to order A Gifted Man, memoir of an artist. Only 170 easy to understand pages complete with illustrations and photos. $16.95 from www.iuniverse.com .The vise is Italian made.

 

[Markofx]

Hi Joseph,

I just finished reading your book, and hope you'll find a site where people can see some close-up photo's of your work. As far as proper position, I'd have to bet that 3/4 of the engravers that read this site and follow some of the best engravers in the USA, are using the GraverMach or the lindsay Graver. These air asisted tools that have drawn more people to the engraving table, and have given confidence at a faster rate then the hammer and chisel. I learned engraving by hammer and chisel, and was taught to do it while sitting. That really helped when I started to use a Microscope. Frank Hendricks another great engraver swore by the standing method, but would cut at just above waist level. On one of Don Glasser's first engraving tapes he said, "The end results are what matter, no matter what you are using" I believe what has been done with the hammer and chisel has set the standard for the art of engraving, but the newer methods are so much easier on your body and the work being done by air assistance tools is beyond what I could have imagined 15 years ago.
These views are only my observations, I don't want to offend anyones preferences one way or another.

Thanks, Mark

 

[Tim Wells]

I'd like to see some good quality close up photos of your work also. So there's my vote.

 

[Ron Smith]

You guys would probably be shocked at my techniques. It was ten or so years into my career before I saw another engraver work. I didn't have a clue as to how to hold an graver except for the palm tool. I break every rule in the book, but I get it done, and in some ways feel my techniques allow for a more complete circumfrence of a scroll before turning my vise. I work sitting down. When I found out I was doing it all wrong, I learned to do it more the conventional way, but I always go back to "my" way as I feel too restricted. Like the man said, it is the end result that counts. If it is good, it is good........Can't argue with that!!...............Ron S

 

[Weldon47]

I stand (modified German method) for the most part while cutting the main scroll designs. The jaws of my vise a 48" above the floor. I sit my ball vise on a custom made turntable. Dad & Frank Hendricks had these made while he worked there (at Hendricks' shop). They were originally made to hold a small milling machine vise. Excellent for hammer & chisel work however, the ball vise is so much easier than standing on your head to get to some of the areas that you have to engrave with a piece in a one-plane vise.

Weldon

 

[Weldon47]

The other "position" if find myself in more & more frequently is that of bending forward slightly, reaching to the right rear pants pocket, pulling my wallet out and forking over some folding green to buy some new book, gadget or gizmo to "help" me be a better engraver.
I know you know what I mean!!

Weldon

 

[Sam]

Like Ron, no one showed me how to position with hammer & chisel, but McKenzie seemed to think it was ok, and I was able to do plenty of engraving with whatever stance you might call this. / ~Sam

 

[joseph engraver]

I think I,m beginning to like you.

 

[Sam]

Here's Lynton McKenzie:

 

[Christiaan]

Once again, I would be remiss in not reminding anyone who is interested in art, love, engraving and truth to order A Gifted Man, memoir of an artist. Only 170 easy to understand pages complete with illustrations and photos. $16.95 from www.iuniverse.com .The vise is Italian made.

Thanks, I looked and bought it as an ebook because it did not want to wait for 9 weeks before it gets to SA. What an honest inspiring story!!! And I only started reading. It is so good I'll probably get the printed version as well. Its a jewel. Thanks again.... Christiaan