I have this idea for a knife handle using whatever nice wood, hidden pins, and engraved scrolls(?) with metal dust inlay. My question is, what shape gravers do you use? I was thinking something along the lines of what Mr Bruce Bump did with his blackpowder rifle/hawk. That was the thickness of the lines I was looking for. Okay, maybe a hair less. I do have a checkering handle and a couple cutters, but that does not help me with the curves. I have kinda figured out that if I use a knife blade graver that the line will be extremely thin, but then again too which ones are more difficult to use out of the different shapes? Thanks for the info.
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What shape gravers would I use for engraving and metal dust inlay?
- Thread starter gixxer
- Start date
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- Feb 8, 2006
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Something to consider might be doing the engraving with a laser. Trophy shops have them, and the low power lasers do a great job with wood and plastics. Kerf is as fine as around .003", but normal stuff might be around .007" and can use multiple lines to do thicker stuff. I've had good success with thick CA with different powders such as pearl luster filling engraving like that. Just overfill it and sand back to flush.
back to the top... Ironically, I just saw the commercial for the Craftsman CAD engraver, looked pretty sweet. Wonder what file format it supports. Along with whether or not $1600 is a decent price (or was it 18 or $1900?). I am kinda good with 2D CAD anyhow, just got done drawing up a CAD version of my first knife. Pretty close.
Back to the world of hand gravers. I guess I could start off with the knife balde graver and something with a 60 or 90deg edge. I have to look into the laser engraving too.
Back to the world of hand gravers. I guess I could start off with the knife balde graver and something with a 60 or 90deg edge. I have to look into the laser engraving too.
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2006
- Messages
- 429
An advantage of a laser engraver is that it essentially just "prints" anything including CAD drawn vectors or raster lettering just like a normal printer would. The cuts can be narrow and deep, which is an advantage over a V shaped groove for holding in a filler material. That would be my biggest worry; will the filler material hold well enough into a V shaped groove. What will you bind the metal dust with?
I had planned on getting the inlay kit that Jantz sells. Comes with gold and silver dust with a glue, resin, dunno exactly what it is. I was going to experiment with thinned epoxy of course thick CA works good too I would imagine. Actually thick CA would work better than epoxy cause it would absorb into the wood better from a durability standpoint. Only thing is you would have to be patient to make sure the powder was packed good to avoid inconsistencies in the appearance. You do pack the powder first then go over it with the CA, right?
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2006
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When I've done it, I pour out a penny size dollop of thick CA on a newspaper glossy ad and add and powder and/or dye and mix it with a toothpick before putting it in with the toothpick. Here's a pen done that way.
Outstanding Job. I like it, looking great to me from this side of the computer. God bless and have a great day.
Barkes:thumbup:
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