Just Had Some Fancy Work Done

[billt]

Very nice work! This is becoming a lost art. Fewer and fewer young people in this country are taking it up. They still have several apprentices in Europe where it is practiced and in demand more.

[crusader rabbit]

Very nice work! This is becoming a lost art. Fewer and fewer young people in this country are taking it up. They still have several apprentices in Europe where it is practiced and in demand more.

You're certainly right on the mark regarding the "lost art" aspect of this. Ken is 68 and he has no apprentice with whom to share his accumulated wisdom and technique.  When Ken is gone, one of the true masters in a decreasing population of engravers will be gone.  And there are not many youngsters coming along to take up the profession.  Ken says he has no intention of retiring and has told his wife that he expects to die at his work station--but not at any time soon.

Ken's technique is interesting to watch, and I feel quite honored to have seen him working on my gun.  He starts by giving the metal a light coating of "patch grease" from a can that looks like it could be a saddle soap tin.  He has worn the middle of the material out to about a two inch diameter, but he claims to have had that same can for more than 30 years, so that's not a major expense.  Anyway, after he coats the metal, he draws the image or scroll design (usually in an American Scroll style) onto it with a sharp pencil.  Then he begins cutting with a carbide tipped cutter in what amounts to a miniature, air powered jack hammer.  He controls the speed and power with a foot control that looks like what you'd see with a sewing machine.

After the design is cut, Ken goes back with a differently tipped bit to do the stippling or shading which makes the design really pop.  Each stipple is an individually made divot and requires exact placement.  There may be hundreds or even thousands of these little accent points in a larger piece.

Ken says he has been blessed with the ability to copy essentially any piece of artwork and engrave it onto metal.  I've seen him do "The End of the Trail" (with the Indian on horseback holding his spear at his side) scene on a lever gun.  It was simply beautiful.  The other side of the gun had a beautifully engraved rattlesnake, ready to strike.

As to the need for a fancy holster, I think that's a given.  I just have to collect my pennies until I can afford one worthy of this beautiful gun.  And, I'm afraid that's going to be a while of collecting.  But, I have another birthday coming up in less than a year.  Maybe I can talk Bunny into gatting me something nice.

Crusader Rabbit