Master Hand Engraver onto Jewellery and Glassware. Techniques.

Techniques of Hand Engraving a Desk Seal & taking a Wax Impression:

SEAL ENGRAVING ONTO RINGS & DESK SEALS :

A Seal engraving starts with the initial drawing of the crest or Coat of Arms, it is then engraved by hand onto a Ring or Desk Seal and then a Wax Impression of the ring is taken.To achieve this the techniques and tools used have barely changed for hundreds of years with each seal engraving undergoing a series of processes :

1 - The area to be engraved is firstly covered in a layer of childs plastecine. The customers family Crest, Coat of Arms or own design is then drawn by hand onto the ring or desk seal.This is done in reverse or negative.This stage of the engraving process is important in that the balance and layout of the design can be judged before any actual cutting takes place. Once drawn onto the item, the pencil lines are scribed with a sharp point in order that the hand can move smoothly without 'rubbing out' the design.

SEAL ENGRAVING :Seal engraving a Desk Seal

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SEALS

SEALS

2 - - The scribed lines are then engraved so that the outline of the seal shape can be clearly seen. When the seal is finished a wax impression is to be taken of the engraving. This wax seal will show as a miniature sculpture, in positive, of the initial design.The engraving is therefore cut to various depths to achieve a 3D sculpture of the design.A piece of plastecine is used to take an impression of the engraving as it progresses.

SEAL ENGRAVING :Engraving the outside of the Shield

SEALS

SEALS

SEALS

3 - The inside of the engraved design is then engraved using various engraving tools to carve out the metal to achieve the recquired depths.

SEALS

4 - When the engraving is finished a wax impression is taken of the seal engraving. This wax impression is in the positive.

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SEAL ENGRAVING :Full Coat of Arms seal engraved

SEALS

SEALS

TAKING A WAX IMPRESSION OF THE ENGRAVED SEAL :

There are various colours of sealing wax but generally a good white sealing wax is best :

1 - Pour some good oil such as 3 in1 onto a piece of cotton wool and alight with a lighter,when the wool begins to smoke blow out the flame.

2 - Hold the engraved ring over the dark smoke from the wool until a thin coat of the smoke adheres to the ring.

3 - Heat up the sealing wax until it is soft and let it drip onto a piece of card, rub with the end of the wax stick until the shape ,colour and consistency of the wax is quite soft.

4 - Press the head of the seal engraved ring onto the wax and hold for a few seconds, remove the ring .

5 - Finally clean the ring to remove any smoke residue.