Gunsmithing-Style Engraving

[Vertigo]

I was thinking about "the next big project" and something I thought would be interesting, would be faux engraving work like what's found on antique weapons, etc. Some examples are below.

EXAMPLES:
http://www.salamiran.org/IranInfo/Culture/Arts/engraving/engrav3_large.jpg
http://www.restoration-gunsmith.com/win86r.jpg
http://www.restoration-gunsmith.com/EngrDerr1.JPG

From a a site that restores antique guns:
Before a gun is engraved, the design is done on paper, usually enlarged to about double size, then it is photo-reduced and transferred to the metal. The following is a partial design for a 1924 Colt pre-Woodsman. The top section is a side of the barrel. The lower section is the top round of the slide. This is a version of "American" scroll I developed about 15 years ago. The style works well on more modern pieces.

http://www.restoration-gunsmith.com/wood1.jpg
http://www.restoration-gunsmith.com/wood2.jpg

[GT40_GearHead]

so you did this stuff

(the vessel i just astonishing)

[Slug Toy]

i wouldnt necessarily call that faux engraving. its just engraving. as soon as you start chipping or cutting away in a decorative manner, its engraving.

there are special tools for this sort of thing. one of them is just like a tattoo device, except the "needles" are hard enough to engrave steel. if you go to a metal or arts shop and ask around you may find one. they arent hard to work with at all once you get used to the feeling of the tool just kind of floating there. thats what it feels like because its striking the metal so fast.

go for it.

[nil8]

That's going to require patience and a lot of skill. Very unique idea though.
Engraving is one of my favorite metal artforms, particularly on firearms. I love 1800's spanish engravings.
I would personally test on scrap first if you get an engraving set.
Go for it, and post your worklog here.

[Vertigo]

I didn't make those GT40_GearHead, was just linking to them as examples.

As for the rest, what I'm thinking is, I would likely need to add some density to any case I did this with, maybe layer on some Bondo and then do engraving into it. I think I'll grab a couple of books on the subject and go from there.

[Cevinzol]

There are lots of ways to decorate metal.
You might want to consider acid etching. They used acid etching for all the patterns on all the swords and Sauron's armor in Lord of the Rings. It works great on flat surfaces. You draw your design onto the metal with a resistant material (called a "resist") it can even be vinyl stickers. then you use an acid to remove a little of the metal around the pattern. It wont deform the metal like chasing or engraving can.

[Slug Toy]

if you try to engrave bondo, you'll need engraving tools other than the one i was talking about. try "tattooing" bondo and you'll have chips flying everywhere and it wont work.

i forgot about acid etching. it does work good. you can do that to glass too.

[Vertigo]

Hmm, thanks for the feedback guys. Lots to consider, I'll let you know what pans out after I'm finished with Infernis and get to work on this.

[Crimson Sky]

A guy made a gorgeous cube PC made from 1/8" copper sheets--he scanned some pics of antique engravings and acid etched it onto all the sides--was fantastic and he did it in his kitchen.

[GT40_GearHead]

could we have a link to it :D ?!

[Slug Toy]

etched copper would look awesome. copper is a nice metal to work with. now, etched and oxidized would be VERY cool. copper oxidizes red and black when you heat it up, and blue when in the presence of water.... that would be awesome times two.

i vote for using copper if you do any case etching. just slap some sheet metal over top of the existing case and do it.

[Vertigo]

Interesting ... actually that copper doesn't sound like a bad idea. I hereby christen thee ... Project Steampunk (not sure if that will be the final title, but seems like a good theme at any rate)