question about silhouette background.

[speeedy6]

Ok,
It's been a bit since I've been at my bench and I'm having to pause and think, look up the correct method or just plow through and hope I don't mess up too bad when I don't remember what to do. I was asked to cut a knife for a friend and I'm tickled to get back to engraving. I never was a pro, but I love it nonetheless! I'm cutting a silhouette and it's pretty broad across the middle and I've gotten to thinking It's gonna wear the blackening out of the center when carried.
Should I stipple the center , cut deeper or something else ? I could even do something like try to mix some paint with epoxy to toughen it up and make it wear resistant.
Any help is appreciated.
Thank you, Mark.

 

[Mike576]

If it were me I would cut it deep and flat then stipple, with time and use anything will wear however if the paint or ink wears a new coat can easily be applied Since most likely the metal itself isnt worn just the ink is rubbed off the slightly higher points. I use Speedball block printing ink and have found it to be pretty durable to daily use in my pocket on a knife I did a lot of background removal on which goes right up to the border. Just make sure you don’t have high points to the area in the removed area Get as flat an area as you can. These higher points will have the ink worn off faster when rubbed against the inside of a pocket.

 

[tdelewis]

I think epoxy would work well for what you are doing. This is how I used epoxy. I cut and remove for the silhouette first. Then fill with epoxy. Next, sand and polish your work piece to prepare it for engraving. Do the engraving last. When the epoxy fills the cavity it may not have an even surface and may git out the edge. It may sink down in the middle a little. That is why you should sand and polish before engraving. I get my epoxy form Rio Grande.