Stainless 1911s project done!

[Southern Custom]

I know everyone has been wondering, just where the heck has Layne been? I just finished up and delivered a project that I worked on over Dec/Jan/Feb. The 3 matching stainless 1911s were built by Red Jacket Firearms. Katherine Plumer did the scrimshaw logo on the ivory grips and I did the engraving. I really need to thank all of those who helped me on this job with their advice and encouragement. Katherine Plumer, Marty Rabeno and Mark Hoescht in particular. Without them, I may not have had the courage continue. It was a bear of a job. One of these would have been hard enough but 3 was ridiculous.
I learned a lot on this job. One of the most important is to give yourself enough time. Cutting for 40 days straight to make a deadline isn't fun. Also, stainless and high relief work will take longer than you think.
It was fun, frustrating, nightmarish and satisfying all at the same time. I won't do it again soon though. Hope y'all like them.
Oh, and I appologize for the quality of these photos. I haven't gotten the final clean pic from the photographer yet.

 

[GTJC460]

Very nice work. DId you do anything on the top of the slide?

 

[graniteguy52]

Layne,
Very nice work. I'm curious - did you do them one at a time, or take them all through the steps together?

 

[Southern Custom]

Top of the slides were left blank. Time was the factor. Or lack of it. I was given an extremely short deadine and therefore limited in what could be accomplished.

 

[didyoung]

Great job

 

[Brant]

Layne,

Beautiful, clean flow!!

Brant

 

[krisf]

those are some teriffic looking 1911's

 

[JJ Roberts]

Layne,Way to go,your on a roll.Keep up the good work. J.J.

 

[Artemiss]

Nicely done!

 

[Southern Custom]

Thanks for kind words. The first one was done all the way through. The second two were done at the same time broken into similar tasks/steps.

 

[dlilazteca]

Wow, Layne great job

Carlos De La O III

 

[monk]

you may well have been short on time to do this job, but it's not evident in this very fine lookin work.

 

[Fred Bowen]

Great job(s) Layne! I bet it didn't leave much time for fiddlin'.

 

[Donny]

Wonderful looking job you did! Can you/will you share your Graver info...type of metal HSS/C-Max?.. graver angles and face angles things like that?

Donny

 

[billrice@charter.net]

Great work


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[LVVP]

Nicely done!

Thank you for showing

 

[zzcutter]

They look super a great accomplishment you should be proud. I can't imagine having to do 3 alike.

 

[Bama]

Super sweet Layne. I would love to come by and see them if you still have them. I need to bring your opti visor back also.

 

[thughes]

Layne, those look really great. Nicely done.

Todd

 

[Southern Custom]

Fred, I forgot how to hold a bow it's been so long. Jim, sorry you missed them. They were shipped out as soon as they left the photographer but I will have some great photos soon.
Donny, I used a combination of several gravers. On a few hard sections I used C-max. Majority was done with plain old Glensteel gravers and some that I got from Tira Mitchell. I use parallel points for all my gravers. 96 deg for all the outline and most of the background removal, 116 deg for most of the shading. Can't tell you what the final face angles were. I just steepened the faces a bit from the standard Lindsay templates. Around 50deg I suppose. Tips were slightly dubbed for the outlines. I really don't get too hung up on exact geometry. Play around till something works and stick with it. Every metal behaves differently. These were 416 stainless Caspian frames and slides by the way.
I did have a curious experience that I couldn't repeat. I noticed I had done nearly the entire outline on one side and the C-Max graver was still as sharp as when I started. I was curious and zoomed in on the tip and found a micro chip on it right at the point. It created a sharp facet. When it finally gave out, I was never able to duplicate what I had. If I could I would have patented that point!