Another knife engraving

gravertom

gravertom

Joined
Jun 4, 2004
Messages
1,163
Here is another Schatt and Morgan pocket knife I have engraved. I tried to combine some of the design features of the previous two knives I showed several weeks back.

Always trying to get better...

Thanks,

Tom

sm21a.jpg


sm22a.jpg
 
Roger Smith said:
Can it get better than this?
Click to expand...

Well, there are always better designs to strive for, and there are execution factors that could be improved upon as I grow in experience.

perfection is of course out of reach, but it is fun ( or torturous! ) to try and reach for it

Thanks for the kind words. It is good for my ego!

Thanks,

Tom
 
Great work and picture, thank you
 
Kismet said:
You make things special, Tom.
Click to expand...

Hayv! Hayv Indeed!:thumbup: :cool: :D

Tom if you don't mind telling how do you darken the shaded areas and the background and does doing so keep the shaded areas and background? :eek: ;)
 
Good work. Looks like the quality of some of the work I'd see showcased in the pages of Blade Magazine in the 90's.
 
Thanks everybody!

Yvsa, The back ground is treated with some checkering and stippling, which lightly lowers the level compared to the foreground. Then, it is blackened with printers ink. The fine shade lines hold the ink also. On steel, you don't alwayy need to add the ink, and I prefer not to usually, but the nickel silver is so soft, it doesn't darken as much just with the stippling alone. Also, many folks expect the ink on knife engraving.

I hope to do a couple of knives soon that have stainless bolsters, and we will see how they look without the ink. It makes for a softer grayer look that looks god with the warmth of wooden handle material. On some knives with synthetic handles, the black ink provides a starker contrast that works well.

I'll be glad to answer any more questions if that didn't explain everything.

take care,

Tom
 
gravertom said:
Thanks everybody!

Yvsa, The back ground is treated with some checkering and stippling, which lightly lowers the level compared to the foreground. Then, it is blackened with printers ink. The fine shade lines hold the ink also. On steel, you don't alwayy need to add the ink, and I prefer not to usually, but the nickel silver is so soft, it doesn't darken as much just with the stippling alone. Also, many folks expect the ink on knife engraving.

I hope to do a couple of knives soon that have stainless bolsters, and we will see how they look without the ink. It makes for a softer grayer look that looks god with the warmth of wooden handle material. On some knives with synthetic handles, the black ink provides a starker contrast that works well.

I'll be glad to answer any more questions if that didn't explain everything.

take care,

Tom
Click to expand...

Thanks Tom! Is there any way you could show us a close up of a background/complete engraving before and after inking?
I'm really curious to see the stippling or checkering pattern used! :cool: :D Do you use a similar stippling or checkering pattern for the very center of the flowers or something different?
And are the same tools used for engraving animal figures and the like? ;) :D

I think I've mentioned the similarity of the engraving designs to those used in leather carving before but with the leather carving there is a saddle stamp for almost every purpose. A camouflage tool is used for the inside of a flower bud and a veining tool is used to shadow the flower bud and flower stems as well as sometimes being used as the initial stamp on the side profile of a flower's center. There are all sorts of shading tools used for bringing out flower buds and flower petals into contrast; for example there are checkered, lined both vertical and horizontal, and smooth shading tools!!!!
Then there is the multitude of stamps for flower centers, beveling, and backgrounding! :eek:
Let alone all of the specialized stamps for what's known as figure carving! :eek: :eek:
Figure carving is the most difficult of all leather crafting techniques IMO.
Not only do you need the skill to use all the specialized tools it can be a real challenge to keep the leather properly 'cased' (properly dampened) and especially on a large picture!
The 'casing' is especially important because the proper water content of the leather is what gives the deep contrast between the tooled and untooled parts of the work.
The contrast isn't so important if the piece is going to be dyed or painted but on a traditionally carved piece of work the casing is key IMO.:thumbup: :cool: :D
 
OK, I'll try and remember to do some in process pics next time. This knife is already on its way...

The center of the large leaves is dark due to the ink in the converging shade lines. no back ground removed there.

Some guys use a high speed dental drill type tool to route out the background. it leaves a textured finish that looks good.

Steel has its troubles, but unlike wood or leather, it pretty much will stay still for you to work on!

Must get to bed, kidney is hurting a bit, and Cathy and Tim are in Rochester. The little guy got dehydrated from an intestinal virus. i hope he has a short stay this time.

Alas! he had made it over a year outside of a hospital. I am thankful the hospitals are here for us though.

Good night all!

Tom
 
Tom,
You take nice looking knives and make them heirloom pieces. As far as striving for perfection, It would be perfect if it was in my pocket : )

Can you believe we've had 70 degrees lately...we're down in Evans.

Mark
 
Wow, I didnt think there was anyone from here near me :foot:
I'm a couple hours south of ya.....near Ithaca, We've had darn near 80 degrees here during the day, but it still gets into the low 40's at night.
summers's a comin'!!!!

Tom, are you presently taking any orders for doing this fine work?
I have a large western folder and a couple of case pocketknives that are screaming for some 'graving.
 
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