Wire Inlay Tools

[runnin lead]

A friend is doing some silver wire / ribbon inlays & is using homemade tools made from hacksaw blades .It is becomeing a pain & he asked me to ask on here if there is a source of tools specificly for this purpose.
I asked.

 

[bowkill]

i would like to know the answer to this one to...

 

[qtrhrs7]

Muzzleloader Builders Supply has some.

 

[Zonie]

I looked and must have missed them.

Here is a link to where I was looking http://muzzleloaderbuilderssupply....id=7901104.22656*V13ab3&next=50&product=Tools

All of the "Inletting chisels" look like something I would use to inlay "inlays", not something I would use to drive in the groove for ribbon or wire inlays.

For what it's worth, I use broken hack saw blades with the working end squared up and reduced to 1/4", 3/16", 1/8" and 1/16". These ends stand proud of the full width of the blade about 1/8 inch. Following the reduction in the width I form a knife edge on the tip and sharpen it to a razor blades sharpness using a whet stone and a buffing wheel.

I use the narrow width tools for working my way around the curves and the wider tools for the straighter runs.

 

[runnin lead]

I looked & can't find them either.Maybe he needs to give them a call & ask for part #s to do a search, the say that they do have tools for wire inlays but a search only brings up inlay wire.
The tools that they show would be for inletting a tang or lock not wire inlays.
his inlays are looking good but he is getting frustrated with his homemade hacksawblade tools,
I will mention the buffing wheel for sharpening/ keeping them sharp

 

[albert]

I made mine the same as Zonie,for the ones for curves I anealed,reshaped,and re-hardened,they worked fine.I made mine about 2 in.long,if you make them much longer,you might have a problem,since they would be a little flimsly

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Blades from X-acto knives ground to shape work better than hack saw blades. When grinding the blade give it a football shaped cross section so that it is thickest in the middle and tapers to rounded off edges. By doing that you will have a tool that will cut smooth curves instead of knicking the edges of the cut around tight scroll work. Three or four widths from 1/16 inch to 3/8" will be all you need.

dave

 

[Birddog6]

:idunno: Crude, yes. :haha: But they work. :thumbsup:

Keith Lisle

 

[jerrywh]

Be sure to polish them real well. This is just in the process. I have to make a few corections. The animals are 14K gold. The wire is .004 sterling

 

[Bob Gular]

This is what happens when patience and talent show up together. Beautiful!

 

[Capt. Fred]

Kieth, it looks like some of those are curved? If so, how'd you do it?

Thanks.

 

[Birddog6]

Ground them to size & then took a small tip on the torch & heated them & bent them over a drill bit laying on the vice, get them to what I want, then heat again & quench in canola oil & leave them to cool. Don't get them too hot or you will ruin them.

The reason they are rounded is when you go into tight loops, if you use a straight bit it has a tendency to leave lil jagged edges around the wire & noticeable, as you are cutting a curve with a straight piece..... This eliminates the jagged edge & give you a smooth loop. I have about 5 dif sizes of them all are a dif radius.

Keith Lisle

 

[grey8833]

Holy xxxx.... WOW! Now that is wire and inlay work! Done just enough wire and inlay work to know an artist when I see one!
WOW!

Mike F

 

[J.D.]

Beautiful work Jerry, as usual.

I am continually amazed at your talent and workmanship.

I would love to own one of your guns, but neither the budget or the wife will allow it.

God bless

 

[Robby]

Jerry, Really nice, both design and execution. I'm working on a French fowler too, still doing design layout, but plan to incorporate all the game that would be hunted with this type of gun, maybe it will end up a Franco-American fowler.
Robby

 

[Capt. Fred]

Got it. Thanks Keith. :thumbsup:

 

[matt denison]

Jerry, the wire inlay is beautiful but I'm fascinated with the butt plate design. Did you cast or forge or file/hacksaw it? Some more info. if you please.

Matt aka Laffindog

 

[jerrywh]

As for the wrap around French butt plate, I drew a design, made a pear wood pattern, made a silicon rubber mold of it, injected wax patterns and wax cast it and the trigger guard from sterling silver. The silver parts will be chiseled in the rococo style and inlaid with different colored gold animals and floral designs. If I live long enough and God willing.
Here is a photo of my wire working tools for those who might be interested.