Tools, Glorious Tools! #8 - Learning To Engrave

Hi Folks,

Its time for a deep dive on learning to engrave - Please enjoy!

Cheers,
Chris.

Btw I ended up cutting a lot of the engraving footage to keep the video moving along, but you can watch slightly longer versions of 3 of the plates being engraved here:

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Video Notes:

(Amazon Affiliate links)

Engraving study material that I use:

BOOKS

DVD's

My Engraving Tools:

[slypig]

I knew an Australian knife & gun engraver called Geoff Wilkins, his sketch books were amazingly detailed. He would also dovetail his lines and inlay dovetails with gold or silver wire, flattened out to lock them in. We all called him Tap Tap, as that was the sound always coming from his room.

[andersjjensen]

Thanks for showing us your first sketches and giving estimates on a realistic time frame when it comes to practice. Lots of people try something and observe that they suck, so they quit. Getting the reassurance, from someone who does stellar work, that they too sucked until they didn't can be quite the aid for some people.

[jwwhitmarsh]

It's refreshing to see an incredibly skilled artist share their rough beginner's work and talk about the realistic time investment and discipline necessary to get to the level they're at. I've heard countless times people claim "talent" is why they can't do certain artforms like the greats they look up to. The great ones aren't talented either, they just put in A LOT of work and effort you haven't seen.
If it was quick and easy, everyone would do it.

[thegrayjedi]

I’ve sketched all my life, and I’m entering my 2nd year of woodworking. Now that I’m looking at doing metal work, it’s amazing and quite a relief to see how well one’s practice in an area like sketch or wood chisels, can translate to another skill. For you folks that’s just starting out, practice on one thing will actually carry over to these other skills and it’ll build your confidence and experience. I can’t wait to make my first set of gravers!

[raymitchell]

Ooohhh WOW! You don't mess around!!! Seriously you spent the time to master something, and I know you'll say that you aren't as good as the "masters"... while I understand that sentiment, but don't kid yourself either, you've entered into a realm that few do in a lifetime... Congratulations on that and a beautiful engraving as well! Cheers.

[ArchEdge]

Morning Chris! Thanks for the great video. Aside from doing your own projects, there is something very satisfying about watching someone create beautiful work - so thank you, your videos are much appreciated.

[beermeneer]

i was lucky enough to get taught the bare fundementals of engraving at school (studying to be a silversmith currently) before the engraving teacher retired.

my school engraving kit existed of no more than 3 push gravers, a piece of plywood to nail a plate to (we had these tiny brass nails to do that with) and a leather pillow to spin that piece of wood on.

and it was essentially all that was needed to cut any work, as long as it was on a flat plate.

this video has made me realize though, that there is a giant hole in my education (maybe because it was cut short, or maybe because we werent getting schooled to be engravers) that has kindoff left me struggling to grow any further. we never had any form of engraving design or anything like it, i guess ill have to pick up the pencil and teach myself.

not the first time ive found myself thinking my education is too technical and not enough design oriented

[rongafron]

Oh great, yet another rabbit hole for me to wander down! 🙂

[Chriss]

that really gives a scale of how much work you put into these projects.

[jdavidbaxter]

Ron Smith is great. I had the chance to meet him a few years back and he gave me pointers before I got started in engraving. Incredibly humble for a man with so much talent!

[eric]

Oh no. I was recently tempted by this rabbit hole myself. This surely won't help me avoid another hobby! Excellent timing!

[guyloughridge]

Chris, thanks for this video. You are a life-long learner; willing to spend the time acquiring a new skill.

[giovannifontanetto]

Really nice, I'm doing leather work because it's what I can do in an apartment, and many of the artistic lessons in this video can be applied for leather engraving.

[SomeGuyInSandy]

"Putting in the work" applies to any skill you wish to acquire. Great video, and message!

[whatme]

I don't think a beginner's guide and how to could have been explained as good as that. Awesome 👌

[KevinWoodsWorkshop]

Hi Chris, you make engraving look easy but then you are a true craftsman. Everything you do is high quality and I can understand why you would want to get into engraving. Thanks for sharing.

[scottsammons]

Leather craft makes for some very nice patterns.the tools are different, but cutting leather with a knife then using the various impressing tools helps visualize some nice designs.

[judelarkin]

Clickspring guy is my hero. For now, most of my time is spent at a decent but boring job and house improvements but some day I hope to spend a lot of time on awesome projects.

[jamesperkins]

Took my plunge into engraving at 59, absolutely love it!

[thomascaldwell]

Your videos are always so stunning. The quality of your craftsmanship of what you make, to include the video shooting and production, are precise and beautiful. Thanks for your channel.