subject: Use Hand Engraving Tools to Make Beautiful Creations [print this page] Use Hand Engraving Tools to Make Beautiful Creations
Engraving is one of the oldest styles of art. Ever since man learned that by using a stone it was possible to make designs, he has decorated his world. There are artifacts left from prehistoric man that are engraved. The Pyramids have engravings. There are beautiful engravings from the Middle Ages. There are still engravings. People still want to use this art to decorate this world. When the first engravings were made the tools were sharpened stones and pieces of horn. These days the hand engraving tools use air compressors to power them.
Engraving is using a tool to carve into a hard surface creating a design. It can be done on glass, wood, stone or even precious gems. There are many types of engravings and many uses. When the printing press was first use pictures were printed using blocks of wood that had the picture engraved on them and then were covered in ink. The block was then pressed on to the paper, making the image. These blocks had to be carved in reverse so that the image ended up the right way. With the advent of cameras photographs took the place of these images, but lithographs, which are produced the same way, are collectors' items.
The hand engraving tools have come a long way since the Stone Age and the Middle Ages. While there are still people who use more traditional tools like fine chisels and gouges, most people use tools that work with air compressors. These tools have tips that stay sharper, including having diamond point to use on gemstones. The modern tools are also able to make finer lines and be more precise than the more traditional tools because it is possible to make them smaller.
Each material calls for its own hand engraver. The hand engraving tools that are made to carve stone would break glass because stone is much harder than glass. Having the appropriate tool for the material means that finished product will be exactly what the carver wanted.
The hand engraver tools include things like burs, chisels, gouges and other bits. Each tools has a particular job. Burs are good for polishing the work area or the finished job. Chisels and gouges are used to actually get the material out. It is possible to find tools for simple engraving in a local hardware shop. Those are more for people who are just getting into carving and engraving. It is possible to do some intricate work with those tools. But, in general it is better to buy the hand engraver and other tools from a specialty shop. This way the crafter knows that they have the right tool for the job. Plus, if there are any questions the people at the specialty shops know the equipment and can answer them.
Engraving has been around for a long time. It is prized for its complexity and beauty. It is used on everything from fine crystal to guns. The modern hand engraving tools make it easier to do the work and for more people to get involved.
