....."Hot off the engraving block".....

[Jim Small]

I just finished this in time to change the subject from nudity to gold inlay....

Same engraving on either side except the gold is positioned differently. The background is cut deep and the tiny flowerets on the fore-end of the bolster are the size of a pin head...

Lots of fun......This knife belongs to RB Slaughter one of our great supporters and forum participants...
If you have any questions let me know.....
Thanks RB

[Osprey Guy]

Hey Jim-

Just this morning I was discussing that grid pattern made up of the small flowers, which you similarly used on one of my folders...which was also destined for Rich Slaughter's collection. I carry pics of that knife in my shoulder bag and I was showing it to a friend who owns a prominent downtown jewelry store. I had made large 416 SS bolsters for that folder and you did a wonderful job covering much of the space with the same very attractive, effective grid used on this folder. My friend was quite impressed when I pointed out that the grid was made up of all those small, hand-cut flowers.

I really like the depth you incorporated around the leaves... makes for a dramatic contrast in play against the grid.

Great job as usual!


Dennis Greenbaum

Yeah Baby!

[Joe Mason]

Great job Jim. THere are so many thing I like about it. The border, the flower grid, the backgound and shading. Just real nice work.

joe

[lgrif]

That is a very cool grid pattern. I think a while back we had a thread discussing it. I would appreciate a heads up on how to access it.

[Darren]

Another real nice one Jim!!
I like it !!

Darren

[Tim Adlam]

Lee,

Here's the link in this forum.
#1.

...And the companion link in the Display Case forum.
#2.

Not sure if there's anymore.
Maybe Jim can help out on that.

Tim

[ron p. nott]

Hi Jim .... Nice job again I like your style of engraving and that grid back ground .....I hope you dont mind but I used it a couple of times on borders .. great work keep them comming ..

[Jim Small]

I much appreciate the replys and certainly the very nice comments.
Ron...you are welcome to use anything you see and if you come up with any good ideas on borders and etc. please let us know.

Engraving the floweretts or the grid pattern is a fairly easy process. The pattern in the photo is layed out at 45 degrees. I cut one line and then from there use a pre-set Sterett divider to do the lay out...using the previously engraved lines. The important thing is...you have to be accurate. Each individual little square has four bright cuts...one on each of the flat sides. The tool I use is a flat graver. The combined angle is 70 degrees...20 degree heal and a 50 degree face. The total width of the falat graver is less than a millimeter...very small. Some other engravers I have talked to about this process use a square graver and accomplish the same results. The reason I use the flat graver is... I tip the graver and use the full width of the cutting face to give a sharp point to the center of the cut. When the cuts come together on the four sides the result is a small open area in the center of the flower. The floweretts in the photo, a little hard to see, are about the size of a pin head. Doing this kind of work requires a good tool design and a fairly steady hand.
If you have any questions I will be glad to try and answer them.
Once again thanks for the kind coments
Jim

[BrianT]

Nice work Jim!!!

I love the deep relief. Can you explain your inlay method when you have the gold right next to the relief edge?

Thanks
Brian

[Jim Small]

Bryan

It's a little hard to see...but there is a very fine border of steel left around the gold inlay. I leave about , just a guess, .005 to 006. around the gold. I cut a steep angle undercut in the inlay area and this probably helps. Many engravers will tell you that it doesn't take a lot to hold 24K gold in place. In the larger inlays I undercut the center and raise little undercut spikes to help hold the gold in place. So far, I have never cut into the side of a inlay...hopefully I never will.
Before I relieve the inlay area...I make fairly deep cuts with the square graver and then use a very high speed rotary tool to relieve and square the edges. Steve Lindsay told me how to sharpen a carbide cutter to make a very clean relief cut. It really works and is fast. I also use the same tool to cut the backgroud out around the engraving.
I hope this answers you question.....

Jim

[RBSlaughter]

Jim- Well my friend, I am waiting with much anticipation to see the folder. I love the design, and from the pictures it seems to compliment the knife perfectly. You are a pleasure to work with and I am going to take you up on that special "project" we discussed recently... Your fellow engravers all appear to like your work, and your detailed answers to some of the questions asked is what makes this forum one of my favorites. I am sure I am not the only person, while not being an engraver, that enjoys reading about the "ins and outs" of your craft... Thanks again Jim...Hope you are feeling better this week, Best, Rich