Transfer a design from paper to cardboard, wood, steel, etc.

[pedervisti]

I have been reading these forums for a long time, and i thought it was time to pay a little back.
This is a method i came up with a while ago, i use it every time i draw a design, and need to cut it out in cardboard,
wood or even steel.
This works best if the design was drawn using a pencil, i tried with a ball-point style pen and it didn't come out very clear.
For this you only need masking tape and whatever you wish your design to be "copied" to.

I first choose the design, im going to do the one in the middle.

Then i take a piece of masking tape, and lay it over the drawing.
Make sure it is contacting the pencil lines all the way around the drawing.

When you peel it off, the sticky tape takes some of the pencil material with it.

When it is just loose tape, the design can be faint, and hard to see.

But when you lay the tape onto some cardboard it becomes nice and clear.

Now you can cut out the design as you wish.

I really like this method, because i dont have to ruin the original drawing, it also works for making templates and so on.
Thanks and may you all have a nice day.
Peder Visti

 

[Hengelo_77]

Thnx for the tip.
It's less of a hassle than how I did it before.

 

[Bailey Knives]

That is cool, could you lay the tape right on the steel or would it be too hard to see the pencil lines?

 

[fast14riot]

Cool method. I would just make sure to go over the original design a little heavy with pencil first. I usually just take a 4F pencil and draw it on then just put my cardstock right over it and rub it from the back side to transfer.

Another great way for you guys who design your knives in cyberspace, print your pattern (or make a copy of) on a laser printer. Place it printed side down onto card stock or wood, then take a cotton ball with alcohol and rub from the back side, the ink will transfer over. I used to do this with my model airplane plans right onto the balsa.


-Xander

 

[Dewberry]

have you ever tried it with a colored pencil? im just thinking it might transfer to a surface that isnt white better

 

[fast14riot]

Colored pencil is usually wax based "lead" and doesn't leave a hard enough mark to create the "dust" that the tape picks up.


-Xander

 

[Frank Niro]

That method can work well. What I do is lay on say 8 layers of masking tape on the back of the pattern in oversize, and now cut it out. I place this over the material I will use for the permanent pattern wich is arborite or counter top covering material I can get as scraps from a cabinet building shop. The edge is strong enough so I can scribe around it. Since my patterns are always for liner locks, I center punch the pivot position. Frank

 

[Evan Martin]

that looks like a good idea. What I do is actually take my paper pattern to the printer and make a copy cut that and use spray adhesive to the steel and cut and profile to the lines, stays on long enough to get it done and peels off super easy its also a good way to change alittle something without changing the original pattern