color engraving

[Herman Knives]

Here is my latest color engraved knife. Hope you enjoy.

[rbaptiste]

Hi, it is beautiful.
How do you put the color in the steel?
Wich color do you use?
Do you have few pictures of work in progress to explain that?
Thanks

[Finn La Rue]

that spider looks like one that would take over my garen of Zukini every year. i really like the colors.

nice work

[Steve Lindsay]

Hi Tim, Thanks for posting. Your engraving and knife making is always the best. This piece is very cool, super!

[truehand]

Oh man, that's stunning work!!
please tell us how you apply that color!

just beautiful!!!!

dave

[D.DOUGLAS]

Tim, You are taking engraving to new levels with the color. I also admire your knife styles very much.Thanks for showing the pics.

[Dave London]

Tim
Thanks for the photos fantastic, Dave

[Herman Knives]

Thanks all for the kind comments.
I rub the color in with a q-tip. Sorry I have no works in progress pics.
The engraving is the dot bulino technique. I will post more when I get
new pieces done if youd like to see more.
Thanks again.

[boston]

Hi Tim,
Your work is outstanding!
Could you explain just a little how you apply the color and how permanent it is.
Also, where did you learn the technique.
Thanks,
Gail

[Herman Knives]

Gail,

I developed this technique about 12 years ago after seeing so many dot engravings that looked good only under the right light and just the right angle.
I played around for a couple years and ended up rubbing the colors in with a q-tip. The engraving is the same as Fracassi and the Italian engravers are doing. Just zillions of dots. It is quite permanent as I coat it with a sealant,
I havent had one come back ro be recolored yet. Hope this helps.

[Ken Hurst]

Sounds like something I would like to play with. Would you tell us what type & brand of paint & sealer we should use ? Thanks, ken

[James Olivencia]

I've had the honor and pleasure of handling some of Tim's knives- of course to study them and I too would like to hear more about the process.
Thanks for showing and doing such beautiful art!

[Roger B2]

G'day to all,
When I first saw the images of the coloured engraving a couple of years ago I too was beguiled and puzzled at how it was achieved.
One of the major successes of this and similar websites is the willingness of contributors to share knowledge, however one cannot expect the trials and errors put in by an individual over a couple of years to be handed over at the drop of a hat to such a large group of potential users. We have a couple of choices - we can either take what information has been provided and work with it to try to copy the original technique or we can enjoy with wonder what others can do through their own hard work.
I don't expect nor would I want people to stop sharing. When I have had enough experience to devise something new that would be of interest to others I would indeed share it too.
Wishing all well,
Roger

[Zernike Au]

wow, wow, wow, very beatuiful!

Thanks for sharing.

Zernike

[Herman Knives]

Thank you all for all the kind words.

Roger B, thank you for explaining what I was going to relate to all here. I have spent very much time perfecting my technique and process and share most things willingly. But this work I feel has yet to be known in the gun engraving world and I would love to do a piece and attend the FEGA and SCI shows. I would very much like to know what the high end gun collectors and engravers think of my color work. I am working on a colt pistol for a client and it will be the first color engraved gun, I hope .

I also feel that all engravers out there should try to achieve their own distinct style and look. To me being able to look at an engraving and know exactly who did it is something we all should strive for.

I dont mean to sound arrogant or selfish but hope you all can understand my position. I mainly posted this to get your opinions and comments/critics on my work and style. Thank you all again.

[KatherinePlumer]

I just wanted to say WOW!!!!!! That is incredibly awesome!!

-Katherine

[James Olivencia]

WOW!
I too dabble in color engraving and there are several others who do. ie. Patricia Walker, Creative Arts, H. Davidson, and others....We each have our own unique processes as I am told. And I respect your secrecy on the matter. I hope your adventures in the firearms world take off!
Thanks

[boston]

Hi Tim,
Thank you for showing us what is possible. Hopefully one day, we will be purchasing your book on " The art of color engraving"
Until then, I will continue to poke around in the dark.
I look forward to seeing your colt.
Respect,
Gail

[Eric Watson]

To just give away a tip on how something extrordinary is done I feel would take away the mystery or mistique of the subject. Much the same way an illusionist must keep his new tricks close to his chest. I do not believe it is not the sharing but pushing those truly interested to strive to better previously done works. This is not the same as helping to cure one's bad habits, or improve one's eye for detail. This is a personal style that has taken much time to perfect. Some day we will be coming to you for a class.
Your work is beautiful. Keep it coming, it will give us all a new level to try and achieve, or simply enjoy.

[le petit graveur]

hello, just one think about color engraving, beware to do it on guns don't forget that you have hughes vibration during the shooting 1200 bar for a 12 gauge and more .
Be sure that the cold enamel don't fissure , it's a hard material not like gold.
this is just my point of view.
sincerly
le ptit graveur

[Herman Knives]

Thank you all very much, Katherine, Gail, Jimmy and Eric.

Katherine your scrim is very nice also.

I will post future work and maybe someday do the book! The main thing to remember about the dot engraving technique that is important for the color work, ther should be NO clean untouched metal left after the engraving. Nothing in nature or life is pure white. I've seen alot of dot engraving where just the basic shape of the subject was dotted and the left was untouched.

Thank you again and I'd love to see your works too.

[Brian]

The colored cold setting resins like Colores, Colorit, and Gessweins UV (dental) formula don't seem to bond well to lightly engraved surfaces for results like Tim gets...

A client (jeweler) used this material on an engraved piece I did for him. It popped off, and was back within a week, He did it again. Same result.

The piece was a dress belt buckle out of 14 gauge 18K, so I don't think that flex was the problem.

We finally fixed the problem by cutting a fairly deep "frame" around the initials and then I hard-fired vitreous transparent enamel into it.


Brian P.Marshall
Stockton Jewelry Arts School
Stockton, CA, USA
instructor@jewelryartschool.com
Taller Marshall
orfebreplatero@aol.com
Taxco, Guererro, Mexico

[Darren]

Very cool Tim!! Always been a big fan of your work and this piece is no exception. Hope all is well .
Darren. R.

[Herman Knives]

Here are some better pics of this knife. Thank you all again for the kind words.

[Dave London]

Mr Herman
Thanks for the inspiration, I will try to attach a pic of my attempt at color engraving along with some copper forming(Repousse) Dave

[Rainer]

Simply awesome!
Rainer

[Herman Knives]

I got a new pic showing the symmetry of the knife when closed. The raised clip on the blade and spine match opened and closed.