Just a few shots taken of it laying on my tailgate. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Is it a Colt 1873 Peacemaker? The engraving is wonderful. Did the same gunsmith do the heat treat? It's very nice!
It's a Uberti Colt clone, parts are interchangeable even. It was done for a show next weekend in Reno. The Firearms Engravers Guild of America has an annual exhibition of tables upon tables of engraved guns by some of the finest master engravers in America. This was my first revolver and holding them securely while you beat on em' with a chisel is half the battle. (PITA) The frame was color case hardened the same way they did the old Colts, by heating it packed in bone charcoal; by Turnbull Restorations in NY. There's an art to getting it right and they for sure have it figured out. The barrel, cylinder, and trigger guard were hot blued locally and I flame blued the screws and trigger. It took me about 55 hours to cut it all and deeply relieve the background. If any of you are in Reno this Friday, Sat or Sun, stop by the Nugget and walk around the show.
I thought the finish work was by Turnbull. He does terrific case harden finish work. Great job, you should be very proud. Was in Reno for SCI and at the same time was the knife guild bought a wonderful folding knife at the bar talking with some of the custom knife makers Don
Yeah, SCI is there the same time we are again this year, but I can't get away and see it. There'll be some engraved knives scattered around the various tables at our show as a lot of the engravers do knives also. I'm working on a William Henry folder right now incidentally.
Beautiful work. Would look great on an English Lantern Clock. Their brass dials were hand engraved with artwork similar to what you did on the pistol. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Those are nice clocks; horology, my other hobby. But I repair/restore watches not clocks. I have about stopped doing them in favor of focusing on engraving.
Tim, Is that just a lot of time with a graver and hammer? How do you lay out the design? Can you tell us any more about the process? Thanks in advance, Matt
The way I typically do it is draw a design on an accurate outline of the space on paper until I get what I want then transfer that to the piece. Or I just smear a mixture of tallow and bees wax directly to the gun and draw it with a pencil. You just have to be careful not to touch the design or you'll smear it off unless you scribe the design in lightly to guard against that. In the case of the cylinder where there are repeating patterns on each chamber section I'll cut one then use it as my master. After it's cut, tap some of that transfer wax I mentioned or plain ol chapstick into the cuts, wipe the surface with newsprint or an old phone book page. Then lay scotch tape over the design and rub it with my finger and lift it off. The wax down in the cuts will be on the tape that I can then position perfectly on the next space because I can see through it, rub it again and lift it off and a wax representation will be there on the metal. Cut and repeat, maybe cuss a little at the hardness of the metal.
Tim, the engraving is top notch. I also think you should get a standing ovation for presenting the work on a scuffed, rhino-lined tailgate because in the end, the six shooter is a tool, and your photo has a beautiful honesty to it that would be lost it presented on a satin pillow.
That looks awesome! How are you doing it? Can you show some pics or maybe a video? Would be cool to see how it's done and see what tools are used
Good point, I would have liked to have laid it on a weathered piece of barn wood but I don't have a barn. Rustic backgrounds are better for things like this rather than glamour shots. Thanks for the nice words fellas.
I don't use a hammer and chisel much as I like to have my left hand free to rotate the vise. I use a pneumatic assist hand tool, basically a mini jackhammer but infinitely controllable in how hard it strikes the chisel (graver). Here is some video of a friend of mine cutting a practice plate to demonstrate the tool he invented. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IEdr2XlL4g&playnext=1&list=PLD1D1A6DC4F5ECD11&feature=results_main]Hand Engraving Video, tut 01b - YouTube[/ame]
It's a Lindsay Palm Control that I use. I've used them all from every maker and this is without reservation the Ferrari of air assisted hand tools.
I've wanted one of those for a few years now. I'm jealous! At least you put it to good use, Tim. Matt
