Origin Story

 

I’ve been a woodworker and hand tool enthusiast for quite some time. Like many, I enjoy the nostalgia and history surrounding the design, craftsmanship, and diversity of old tools.

In 2014, I came across an article spotlighting a local engraver whose primary focus was pre-1900 firearms (Guns of the Old West, you might say). The scroll designs really made an impression on me. From that point forward, I felt drawn to the craft. In addition to engraving firearms full time, the gentleman also offered instruction every so often to just three to four people at a time. I knew right away I needed to take that week-long class and began researching everything I could about the engravers of that era.

Around the same time, I made the decision to liquidate some tools to boot-strap the endeavor with the end goal of becoming an engraver. Fast forward a few years, and I was able to squeeze into a class at the very last minute. To say I was thrilled would be a gross understatement. The week was a crash course in all things engraving: sharpening, graver control, inlay, lettering, and design. An additional bonus was the ability to practice with several different hand pieces and vises, which was extremely valuable when it came time to choose my own. The most important information acquired was that of shaping and sharpening the graver blanks. That alone was worth the price of the entire course. In the era of YouTube, my experience of learning from someone who does it day in and day out was priceless as he was able to share many of the efficiencies and lessons learned over the years of engraving. Never had I experienced a class, before or after, where I felt everything was firing on all cylinders. My hands were doing what my mind was asking of them; and, while I wasn’t what anyone would call an engraver at the end of that week, I knew this would be something I would do for the long haul.

As a member of the MWTCA (Midwest Tool Collectors Association), and collector/restorer of user tools for a couple decades, I settled on scroll work inspired by those that were popular in the late 1800s by engravers such as L.D. Nimschke and the Uhlrich family. Many of the old tools I favor stem from that same era, so the two just seemed to fit perfectly. While I do engrave old tools, I also enjoy some of the more modern ones as well, especially those that are a throwback to the early ones: Stanley Anniversary tapes and the new stock Stanley Classic 199 knives to name a couple. Most of my clientele still appreciate a good practical tool, and the tapes and knives seem to find a home in many of today’s workspaces and trades.

It might surprise some that I don’t consider myself an artist. While I can draw, I don’t sketch much of the design before I start cutting. More often than not, I simply lay out the backbone of the scroll and freehand the rest. I approach my engraving as a craftsman, much like those churning out work back in the day. Many of the old gun engravers used transfers at the start and filled in the rest as they saw fit. Some of my pieces are one of a kind, but many I will do again and again so long as there is interest. I look at every tool and think to myself, “Can I enhance this with engraving?” Some tools just can’t be improved upon or there just isn’t enough real estate to apply the scroll work. I strive to be good, quick and reasonable without overdoing it. Balancing the positive and negative spaces is always in the forefront of my mind.

Like most, I’m simply trying to leave my mark on the world. I just choose to do it one tool at a time. Whether they end up as a gift to a retiring tradesman, a present to a builder for a job well done or end up in a collection of well-loved tools used to create timeless pieces to be passed down through the ages, I’m incredibly grateful every single time.