Stippling - educate me

Sando

Sando

Knife Maker
Joined
Jul 4, 2002
Messages
1,148
OK I want to add a little 'flair' to my knives.

Seems like a little added texture is just what the doctor ordered. I'd like to make a small, well defined area, on the handle or bolster, and stipple it. Something small, curved, tastefully done. Wood, plastics, and metals.

Engraving and me ain't gonna work! But this might.

So where do I start?

Can I use a dremel?

Do I need a high speed engraver?

What kinda tips?

Small sandblaster?

Thanks,

Steve
 
For small areas, you could use one of those electric pencil engravers.
The type people use to mark their name on tools etc. Just play with the adjustment to get the best pattern.

They are only a few $$ at Sears, HF, etc.

Blasting would work to add some texture, also.

You can also get stippling gravers from Brownells, or jewelry supply stores.

I have an older pencil type engraver that has a ball attatchment, as well as others, that will impart a neat pattern to soft metals.
Looks like it was forged with a little bitty hammer. :eek: ;)
 
Last year at Blade, Guy Thomas and I struck up a conversation with Paul Jarvis. I took pics but can't find em. Maybe Guy has some he can post.

Anyway, he does an embellishment on copper that is utterly cool. Using a V-shaped graver he pushes a groove into the copper surface, raising a curl of copper in front of it. A few rows of this leaves an area with parallel lines topped by an area of "copper wool." He uses a soft mallet to lightly tamp the curls down. It's beautiful. I haven't taken the time to sit down to develop the technique for myself yet, but be assured I'll never forget it.

Perhaps you could use a similar tool to cut the areas you're thinking of?

2c, and worth every penny. :)

Dave
 
Steve,

Brownells sells a little stippling punch you tap with a hammer.

If you have a fine checkering file, you can make your own.

Another way is to take a piece of drill rod, drill a very small dent in the end, grind away most of the metal, pointing it til there is just a small lip around the dent, then harden. This makes what is called a "beading tool" and can be used for some nice decorative work.

If you want to go powertool, then for on the cheap, I think Mike's idea is great, with the "buzzer" engraver. With practice you can get excellent even coverage. I'd suggest tape off the whole area with a heavy tape, cut out the shape you want to create, then hit it with the buzzer. This presents some protection against it "growing" til it covers the whole piece... :)

Going to really tiny burs requires 1/16" shank for the most part, and you start having a much larger investment. That said, the Turbocarver can open an entire world of embellishment:

http://www.turbocarver.com/

The cat's meow is the rotary tool that GRS sells. Lindsay may have one, also. Alternatively, ask yer dentist where you can get one of the cheapo dispo handpieces.

One other thought is, if you have a Dremel or Foredom style rotary tool, then there are cheap sets of diamond point burs in all the woodworking catalogs. they aren't too bad...

Hope this generates some ideas.
 
Any gunsmithing books should cover this (where I read how). Check a library, or go to a bookstore and leaf thru. In fact one book referenced just taking a finish nail and filing the point to make a stippling gouge.

-MJ
 
Thanks for all the info Team!

OK that gives me alot to test.

I'm ready to attack the problem with at least a half dozen methods!

Steve
 
Hey,,,,,,darnit,,,,what a rip off...

I thought we were going to be talking about....

well I mean the title of this topic is "Stripping - edu.." and I have went to a...er..

...oh waite, the title is spelled "Stippling"


"nevermind"
 
Steve, if you can find them, little dentist bits work great. I've used the round ball and round-end shaft carbides so far but, the engraver bit mentioned before sould work well. When your doing the stipling you only have to just tap the tip to the metal. There's no need to "dig" in. Also, I ususally work the tip in small circles or diagonal rows across the surface.

Dave, I'd like to see that method you mentioned. It sounds really cool.
 
Well, my stippling technique isn't quite so advanced. If you can find a copy of Pistolsmithing by George C. Nonte, it gives a good quick description of the steps involved.

First use either a commercial punch or make one. Sharpen and polish the tip.

Hold the punch between your thumb and forefinger.

Rest your wrist on the work with the punch slightly above the surface.

Adjust the angle of the punch to suit the design you want. (more angle=sharper burr)

Tense the muscles in your hand, wrist, fingers and tap the punch with a chasing hammer.

The punch will hit the surface and since your hand is tensed, rebound like a spring.

Doing this you can strike rapid-fire hits and need only move the position of your wrist to cover an area very quickly.

I can do the front strap on a 1911 in about 5 minutes this way.
 
Oh thanks, Peter and J just what I needed - more ideas.

I picked up the smallest engraving burr I could find for a Dremel. Not real happy with the looks. I KNOW it's I don't have the right motion yet.

J. I did try some dentist bits, but the only one's I have are the cylinders. That looked worse.

I'm gonna try the tap, tap with a bit and hammer too. It all sounds so easy. But making an even pattern ain't.

I'm sure once I get something down, it'll all seem too easy.

Thanks guys,

Steve
 
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