Recommendation? Whats the next move?!

NickHFSS

NickHFSS

Joined
Jun 26, 2020
Messages
164
Hello everyone , long story short since day one I am trying to get better , learn more , go more high end , achieve higher results etc
I am doing stock removal , I have HT kiln , I'm pretty much set and even if I dont get anything , my workshop is set and business will be good.

But I have a budget to go on next level , get something new.
My workshop is my appartment , grinder is on a 5 sq m balcony , every room has some tools , I can't get a power hammer to start making my own mosaic billets but I could fit a small gas oven and anvil on the balcony
I need your advice , what should I get , start forging or start engraving , if I had room and funds I'd get both and after some time I will have both but now its just start one thing , I have heat treat set with steels I use and would continue to ht in my kiln , so only real plus of forging would be making my own damascus , plus of engraving is , I wanted to learn it all my life , I can engrave my knives and up my price a bit , I can engrave jewelry and guns , I can inlay gold, both are needed crafts but from practical and business point of view , which one would you recommend?

I really need some professional advice , or maybe if you think I should get something else , I'm open to suggestions....


What I have :

Grinder with variable speed drive , various attachments
HT Kiln
Disk grinder
Small railroad anvil
Vise
Drill press
Angle grinder
Drill
rotary tool
Sh load of clamps
files , rasps , mini ones as well
small vises
backup grinder (old one I used)
bandsaw
materials in stock
mirror finishing belt setup
polishing machine
leather tools
And all kind of odds and ends one may need
 
There are also engraving schools you can attend, that provide all the gear you need, so you can see if you like doing it..
 
I can but agree with the previous posts; engraving 100%.
Your apartment neighbors will be less likely to hate you, and as you say it is much more widely applicable. As something that happens at the end of the build I think it gives you more choices and scope while learning.
 
Engraving and scrimshaw.
Relatively affordable startup costs, great return once you are proficient. Can be done almost anywhere.

Do NOT ty forging on your balcony. First, it is probably illegal. Second, it is a lot more neighbor unfriendly than running a grinder.
 
Learn to do this:

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Heck ya could even go western:

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Scrimshaw is kinda handy too:

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But opportunities are probably more limited.
 
Engraving can be noisy, too, but obviously in a different manner. If you have a pneumatic engraver, it is a little jackhammer, and sounds like it as it rams its way through the metal. I have no idea if it bugs people; never asked. A "silent" compressor made for engraving isn't too obnoxious at all, I find. The eNgraver rotary attachment isn't much better for noise and is much clunkier.

A second consideration in engraving is cost. Going all in with the power tools will be quite expensive. A microscope is an almost necessity for most engravers it seems. There are still some who work with Optivisors and have benches built to get close to their work. There are those, too, who do their work without the power tools, from the "tap, tap, tap" of hammer engraving to the delicate little cuts of bulino displayed in the first few of Horsewright's examples.

I suggest that you peruse the two main engraving forums, engraverscafe and EngravingForums. Both simply end in dot com. Also, if you decide to leap, keep an eye out for used. There's occasionally the opportunity to buy out an entire shop from someone retiring. Also, check out the range of engraving tools at GRS and Airgraver. Both of those end in dot com, too.

And, finally, track down Ray Cover's basic engraving DVDs and give them a watch. Great instruction. The old Lynton MacKensie vids are a delight to watch the Master do stand-up hammer-and-chisel engraving.
 
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What about a mini mill (or full sized mill if you can manage), also. Those lasers seem pretty handy.
 
Hi Nick, you say you have the budget to go to the next level - so how come the next level is not setting up a dedicated workshop? Like renting a small space somewhere where making dust/noise is not a problem? I totally understand that doing stuff in your apartment has some benefits, been there done that, but looking back - it seems terribly irresponsible, considering the health hazards. In any case, best of luck whichever you decide to go!
 
pafka said:
Hi Nick, you say you have the budget to go to the next level - so how come the next level is not setting up a dedicated workshop? Like renting a small space somewhere where making dust/noise is not a problem? I totally understand that doing stuff in your apartment has some benefits, been there done that, but looking back - it seems terribly irresponsible, considering the health hazards. In any case, best of luck whichever you decide to go!
Click to expand...
I want that more the anything , but my budget now is 3k tops , garages around me start at 10k if you are lucky but more often around 15k
 
This talk about engraving, and noise, put me in mind of a WIP thread I saw It may have been on British Blades...but I managed to remember the maker and tracked down their work and some threads over on Knifenetwork.com. User name is Montejano

Engraving Spyderco ( Harley ) - The Knife Network Forums : Knife Making Discussions

Engraving Spyderco ( Harley ) The Display Case
www.knifenetwork.com
Has some stuff on Youtube too. https://www.youtube.com/user/Albacetense/videos
I was sure that he used acid for some work and that this was what the WIP I saw showed, but looking at some of his work now I wasn't so sure, until I found this one.
 
I remember Montejano. Master acid etcher. The term 'engraving" is often applied to both resist carving/etching and chisel engraving. In this case, he does etching. That was a cool Spyderco back when and and the fighter video is wonderful showing all the layers of resist. Guy's incredible.
Thanks for sharing. Hadn't thought of Montejano in years and years.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Do NOT ty forging on your balcony. First, it is probably illegal. Second, it is a lot more neighbor unfriendly than running a grinder.
Click to expand...
Seconding this. You will drop workpieces as you learn, and you losing a forge-welding temperature damascus billet over the balcony could have all sorts of interesting consequences.
Plus you're limited in weight on a balcony, so you'll probably be making the damascus with hand tools.
 
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