doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com A Unique Low-Wall

My uncle sold his collection of 2 dozen Mason's for enough to buy a new car 10 years ago..of course some of them were still unused and had been in the family for 70 years.

Joe, I see my mistake now. I'm (NOT coincidentally) in for an eye exam tomorrow morning....while engaged in "land stewardship" last Saturday (you commoners probably call it weeding) I very nearly hand-weeded a juvenile rattler who was coiled up among the thistles. Thank God critters out here are all about peace and love!

All gun engraving is applied art.
It is very rare to see engraving as Fine Art, it's most common application is bank notes. Bob Swartley has done some wine lables, and a very few artist work in this as a medium.
This is one of four steel plates (5 3/4" x 6 1/2") engraved by my friend Eric Gold in the late 90s and early 00s.
Each has the theme of big cats, Lion, Leopard, Cheetah and Jaguar. He then made epoxy casting from the plates in a limited Edition of 250 each, all sold out (mine are #68).
This was done with a Gravermeister electric handpiece under a binocular microscope.
The detail is incredible and Must be viewed with magnification. There is a herd of 20+ cape buffalo on the horizon.
I posted a slightly higher resolution than usual and on my screen is considerably larger than life size.
Best,
Steve
(BTW: This thread is about as close as we have ever come to a true chat room, eh?)

Wonderful work but I get a headache just thinking about the concentration to do such fine detail.

Some absolutely stunning work being done lately. The hours logged into some of these projects shown at the Guild shows and other places is really over the top.
I've never been able to put that amt of time into one project and to be honest I don't know if I could stand to work on one thing that long! My hats off to those that can.

Here's a Hepburn converted to an underlever style. I cut a pattern I thought suitable for the rifle. Nothing too fancy. Done with air assisted graver.


This is a Lefever A-Grade upgraded a bit for myself. The scroll cutting is air assisted again. The goose and dog are done with a small flat chisel and hammer in cross-hatch method.
First pic is after I put a 'grey' finish on the metal.





I've had to give up the hammer & chisel completely for engraving as I cannot hold them steady enough for even the simplest of cuts. Still learning with the 'power tools'. Resting my wrists on the vise and work I can still do the animals the old way I'm used to with a tiny blade chisel and hammer. I certainly didn't want to give it all up as some had suggested it was time for me to do.

While I normally abhor very large scroll, that Hepburn is Very nicely done and with perfectly fitting design. Excellent work Kutter!

The linked Mauser restores my pleasure in G&H and Kornbrath, neither of whom I particularly favor. And see what I mean about enlarging checkering?

Kutter, that is beautiful workmanship, thanks for showing it to us. I must admit that engraving should be viewed 'Life Size' rather than under a lens or microscope.

Rather like Oil Paintings that are appreciated more, if the observer is several yards away from the picture, or (in the case of Modern Art) five to ten miles distant and preferably facing in the opposite direction.

I have very definate views on art. lol.

Harry

I'm thinking someone,Mr. Petrov, should gather together some of these wonderful pictures and make a calender for sale to the masses. The pictures Hallowell puts on their website and Mr. Petrov's are really inspiring and would make a nice addition to any gun room.That Kurz Mauser is just wonderful and in my favorite chambering.

Kutter,

Wonderful work! I had Bob Swartley do a bundle of scroll on my underlever conversion Hepburn, but much less coverage than you did. Mine is perhaps 30% versus your full coverage. I really like yours - and also the use of the dog on the trigger bow of your Ithaca Lefever - very much like a detail from the earlier Lefever guns.