Silver Wire Inlay WIP

Karl B. Andersen

Karl B. Andersen

Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Messages
5,685
I wanted to take pictures of this process anyway, so there's no reason to not share them with ya'll.
You will see some pictures in the background on a few of these here. It's a photo of a knife that my customer wanted to emulate on his knife.
This is a pattern I call "Wandering Vine" and is one I have used many times.
Here's a little step-by-step:
This semi-finished knife with the layout and some of the in-letting tools involved:
cm-1.jpg


A little closer shot of the layout:
cma-1.jpg


Gotta just LOOOOOOOVE the take-dwon knife when it comes to stuff like this:
cmb-1.jpg


The handle in the bowling ball vise - (thank you, Mr. Keeslar!)
cmc-1.jpg
 
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It's still early and I'm not ready to sit down - yet:
cmd-1.jpg


A little close-up of the process:
cme-1.jpg


The main "vine" nearing completion:
cmf-1.jpg


When I do a "branch" or wherever two "things" come together, I use a small hammer and beat the silver wire down veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery thin so it blends in seamlessly:
cmg-1.jpg
 
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Here is the completed inlaying done, along with little seed "pods" at the ends of the branches:
cmh-1.jpg
.

Now, I saturate the handle material with water so as to swell up the crushed wood grain and make it fill in the voids and "grab" the silver wire to hold it in place.
Prior to putting the wire in, it is drawn through 220 sand paper to put lengthwise scratches in the sides to help hold it in when the wood is swelled.
If it was summer time, I would place the handle out in the sun to dry, or maybe in my kitchen gas stove, since it always holds about 120 degrees from the pilot light, but since it's the middle of winter, I'll set it atop the wood burner and head to the gas station for a cup of coffee and a cookie!
cmi-1.jpg


Came back, clamped up the handle and filed the excess metals off.
Now the other side, some stain and finish.
I call it "good"!
cmk-1.jpg
 
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Looks like its going to be a Beauty...Thanks for showing the process !
 
I'd call it good, too. What a delight to witness.

Thank you!

Coop
 
that looks great, Karl:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
 
In this chair is where I spend about 1/2 my life.
Here I will take the filed handle from 220 up through 800. Then, I really wet the handle good with denatured alcohol. While it is wet, it raises the fine grain that I have "smashed" down into the handle material and then it will dry very quickly so I can continue working.
Then, back to my favorite chair, and "cut" off the newly raised grain with 1200 grit, and then finish off with 1500.
cml-1.jpg


The completed handle ready for some COLOR!!
cmm-1.jpg


Amazing what a little color can do to some nice curly maple!
cmn-1.jpg




Now I'll finish off the guard and put a good soaking coat of gun stock finish on the handle to dry over night.
0000 steel wool in the morning and then another coat of gun stock finish.
Finished picture probably on Friday.
 
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Karl beg fan of wire inlay and this project looks great .. Thanks for taking the time
 
I've tried my hand at this and man, it sure aint easy. Lots of patience and skill required. This is looking really nice Karl. :thumbup:

Roger
 
Really good looking Karl. You make it look easy and I know it's definitely not.
A very nice addition to your bag of tricks.
 
非常有用的示範.
學起來了謝謝.

是否能特別拍攝雕刻刀的刀頭位子嗎?
謝謝.
 
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