Latest project

[Andy S]

Here is a knife I'm currently working on. I get the front side done and then lose interest

[Don Cowles]

Looks superb, Andy- don't quit now!

[Joe Mason]

Very nice Andy, I really like your leaf design. Thanks for showing it to us.

Joe

[ron p. nott]

Hey Andy .. Great work i always enjoy looking at your engraving . i do like that style keep them coming. ron

[Jim Small]

Andrew
If your not happy with that...."then let large cursty insects infest your arm pits."

The knife and the engraving superb!
Jim

[JMW]

Very nice Andy

[Tom White]

Andy,

The engraving is wonderful I only have one question it looks to me that the scroll design on the inside pattern has little in common with the filler scrolls placed on the ends. The end scrolls seem to be tightly packed english scroll with a completely different pattern on the main body. I am only saying it seems not to flow from the inside to the outside.

Again the engraving is wonderful I was just wondering about the design.

Tom White

[rrrf68]

Andy,
Absolutly stunning. The mix of scroll style is very well done. I am curious as how you acheive the gray tone. I can't figure out how the small english scroll has a faint gray tone over its entire surface. could you please explain thanks, fred

[HermanKnives]

Andy,

I agree with you! That second side is boring as hell and thats why I change the design on the second side. Doing an exact reverse copy is just boring.
I did an experiment one year...I asked several collectors what the thought of putting a different but similar design on a knife instead of the same thing. Thay all said "but its traditional to do the same mirrored design. So I did one knife with even completely different styles of scrol on both sides and the only person that noticed it was Buster Warenski LOL.
So much for tradition and boredom
Nice work.

[Andy S]

Tom....As a rule I generally wouldn't mix styles. But I don't think it is as uncommon as you may believe. I think English scrolls can be used as an accent to other styles. I think it can be used to add interest. I may have blown it on this one...I don't know.

Darker areas.....I was talking with Ron Smith about engraving and he explained how it doesn't like high contrast in his engraving so he etches it with Ferric Chloride. Even stainless is affected. It will darken it but you can lighten it back up with a fine grade of paper like 3000 grit. I etched the center scrolls as well and then highlighted areas with a very small polishing stick and small sections of paper. It seems to give a little more gradation to the shading. It is not very difficult either. Just mask off with Scotch tape. I used to do the same with bead blasting but this method is not as destructive.

Oh, and James, I don't know what a cursty insect is since it isn't in the dictionary but I don't think I want any

[Darren]

Hey Andy.
Really like what your doing on this, I like the contrast between the two scroll styles.
And I really like that knife you made, that is sweet.
Just a thought, why not on the opposite side reverse what you did here, ie. a center cluster of english and the ends with gold border and your other style, that might be interesting.
Very nice man, I enjoy seeing your work.
Darren

[Tim W]

Andy, send that thing to me and I'll finish it...

[ddushane]

Beautiful Job Andy, Keep it up! Dwayne

[Montejano]

Friend Andy
I like the miscellany of different styles, when they enrich the set. The artist or engraver must have freedom to express its own style. Fantastic work and I am useful to say to him that you are an extraordinary engraver and I continue his work

Montejano

[MCirelli]

Andy
Very nice look I think the English scroll sets off and enhances your main engraving. When your talking about Ferric Chloride do you mean silver ox or sometimes it's called silver black? Because I used it on stainless and it works great and seams to be quite permanent. There is also an oxidizer for nickel silver that works very well. I don't know the name of as I'm not in the shop.
Mike Cirelli