Lettering wood scales

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Joined
Dec 15, 2008
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I have had a request to make a knife with lettering in the scales. Has anyone any experience with doing this.
 
Like carving?
Wood burning?
Wire inlay?
I have never done it, I'm sure it has been done though?

Welcome to the forums.

Todd
 
I have never used them but some of the sign shops around use a laser set up that produces nice crisp lettering in wood. I have seen it on plaques and promotional materials and it is very nice....
 
G.L. Drew is spot on with that one. I read this post earlier but couldn't come up with anything. That laser engraving is very nice and professional looking.

SDS
 
I will check on the sign shop laser option. However, I like to try and keep as much as possible "in-house".
I do not have the skill level yet to do wire inlay. Wood burning with stencils would work I guess but wood burning always seems to look like a summer camp project, rather amateur.

I was thinking I might could use a leather or metal stamp in the wood. Then fill in stamp with a colored epoxy and sand back down so that epoxy only fills the letter part.

This will definitely require practice on scrap wood. I will let you know how it turns out.

Thanks
 
One of your other options is to use a dremel and lower the area around the lettering. I'm thinking of work similar to carvings on a rifle stock. I have been doing gun stocks for a number of years and it can be quite artistic. I think if you use a stamp that it will break the wood or scale fiber and not give a good impression. You have the right idea on trying it out on scrap wood though.
 
Chris Meyer said:
Wow, she's good! I see that she even did your portrait. :D

Emu.jpg



Sorry, I couldn't resist. :p​
Click to expand...

Well, Nanc seemed to think that was really funny. That's 50%. :p:D
 
having done 3 for customer requests for initials in handles, i had them done by a friend with a laser deal. He could do all different sizes and fonts and came out looking much nicer than anything i could have done probably
 
I regularly inlay gold initials in knife handles.

I get the initials in 20 ga. gold from the jewelery supplier (Stuller) and set them on the handle, which is shaped and ready for the final sanding. I curve them with a mallet to match the handle curvature. I tack them in place with a small drop of super glue, then go around them with a #11 blade. I pop them off and inlet the wood/bone/ivory and when all is about there, I tap the letters in to make a snug fit. After the fitting is done, I pop them out again ( not always that easy) and put in 24 hour epoxy, tinted to match the wood/bone/ivory (to disguise any not so perfect inlay cuts) , them reinstall the initials.If you want periods after the initials, just drill a hole and insert a short piece of wire. After all is dry, I sand the handle and initials to final smooth finish.

I'll look and see if I have some photos, but I will be doing three for a customer in a week or so, and will take photos then.

Stacy
 
Your local trophy shop might be able to do laser burning/etching. I had a Large "H" burned into the back side of deer crown once. They etch plaques and corporate stuff on a regular basis, so flat scales shouldn't be a problem. They were pretty unhappy that I insisted they try to do my crown - they tend to prefer standard objects at trophy shops, but will do odd shapes for an extra fee.
 
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