brass snuff box / phony logo

[monk]

decided to engrave the top of this brass snuff box just for fun. browns mule plug did exist, but this design i just pulled out of the air !

[SVD]

Hey monk,

How about doing a little quick darkening and giving us another look?

I use some transfer wax (soft wax with graphite mixed in) for really temporary darkening. For slightly more permanent color the whole thing with a black Sharpie and then rub it clean with your thumb. That will last for a while but is still easily cleaned off with Acetone.

And, of course, if you like the way it looks then you clean it up and do a real job of it with paint (or method of your choice).

Dark almost always photographs better even in the cases where it doesn't look better in person.

And that design looks nice enough it deserves a better look.

[monk]

steve, i'll gladly do that. but it will have to wait till much later this pm. you're right, i guess it doesn't show too well !

[SVD]

Monk

It shows, but not as well as it deserves. We see it better than others because we're used to looking at bright cuts on bright metal - you 'see' it even better because you know what you're looking at.

BTW, that was a trick Thomas Edison used to get funding to develop his phonograph. He'd demo the crude early machine by having people watch his people record something and play it back, then have them record their own voice. The trick, of course, is that they knew what they were going to be hearing. If you track them down there are sound files on the web of some of those early recordings. It's an amazing difference listening to them before and after you read the transcript.

[monk]

Originally Posted by SVD

Monk

It shows, but not as well as it deserves. We see it better than others because we're used to looking at bright cuts on bright metal - you 'see' it even better because you know what you're looking at.

BTW, that was a trick Thomas Edison used to get funding to develop his phonograph. He'd demo the crude early machine by having people watch his people record something and play it back, then have them record their own voice. The trick, of course, is that they knew what they were going to be hearing. If you track them down there are sound files on the web of some of those early recordings. It's an amazing difference listening to them before and after you read the transcript.

OK , HERE IT IS. A SLIGHTLY BETTER VISUAL.

[SVD]

Monk

For a minute I thought the Firewall of Idiocy was blocking the image. Then I got smart and scrolled up.

That's a lot easier to see! :thumbsup: Of course now we can see that you need to add some shading in the scrolls. :p

We're just never satisfied, are we?

[monk]

Originally Posted by SVD

Monk

For a minute I thought the Firewall of Idiocy was blocking the image. Then I got smart and scrolled up.

That's a lot easier to see! :thumbsup: Of course now we can see that you need to add some shading in the scrolls. :p

We're just never satisfied, are we?

WHA ? you got a mouse in your pocket ? there's no shading there kauze i don't want to put shading there. there's a common misconception running amok in the current world of engraving; every square milimeter must be covered with something, and every scroll must have shading ! well, if this notion feeds your tendencies thats cool ! it doesn't feed mine. i some times i like to keep things simple. kiss !

[SVD]

Monk

You're absolutely correct.

I got to thinking about it after I posted that while the scrolls would look nice with more shading it would be wrong for the logo - wouldn't match the period.

[monk]

Originally Posted by SVD

Monk

You're absolutely correct.

I got to thinking about it after I posted that while the scrolls would look nice with more shading it would be wrong for the logo - wouldn't match the period.

yeah, sort of like lettering a cement truck with goldleaf script lettering-- just aint fittin for a chaw can-- although perhaps for a ladies snuffbox ! i never thought of that. i can actually remember my great granny used to snort snuff up her nose !

[SVD]

Once again you're absolutely correct.

While you can go to town doing the logos on a cement truck it just wouldn't 'fit'.

Not sure about a ladie's snuffbox, but there are a lot of other things that could be in those nifty little brass containers - add a mirror to the inside and it would be a nice little makeup item. Messr Monk's Fine Facial Powder, perhaps. Be interesting to see the logo for a product like that.

[monk]

i used one for my makeup, that is till i saw what i looked like ! max factor said i needed surgery not makeup ! actually some use them for patch or cap boxes. i just engraved one this pm for a masonic member. i don't know what he wants it for. he doesn't rub.

[SVD]

I know what you mean about makeup. They told me that the pancake makeup that would be best for me would be actual pancakes.