A Stare At A Square

Have you ever taken time to stare at the tool called a square? 
It rarely gets the chance to shine, but is the key to a perfect line.
Without curves it might seem plain, but I ask you to look again.
In between its linear form, is now a design that isn't the norm.
Hand engraved, a design with flare, go ahead, take a stare.

I posted that little poem in the caption of this photo on my Instagram page.  A square is an extremely useful tool to craftsmen but is rarely something that is very fancy.  A few years back, I had the opportunity to engrave a hand plane made by Tony Rouleau of Hillview Wood & Metal. It was the first I was introduced to Tony's work and I was very impressed.  Aside from the hand planes, Tony also makes other tools including these precision squares.  

A small square gifted to me by Hillview Wood & Metal. I began by hand engraving the sides.

My personal tiny square which I hand engraved and included my monogram in the design on top.

A customer of Tony's asked if I would engrave a large square for him, giving me free reign in design, other than it needed to include an anchor.  Included in the shipment of the large square, was a tiny square which Tony gifted to me to hand engrave as I saw fit for my own tool collection. 

The beautifully bright, tiny cuttings of metal that I removed from my square. Each line is permanently carved into the metal. I like to leave the cuts bright so they shimmer and shine in the light with the tool's movements.

As I was hand engraving this small square, the swirls of beautiful brass were falling down around me.  Looking at them, I pondered the art which I impart to a piece.  I wrote about it in the caption of this photo on my Instagram page, "It seems like a bit of an oxymoron that the addition of my art is through subtraction.  In the carving out and removing of metal, I add my design to a piece.  One tiny line at a time, a picture appears, now permanently carved into an object's surface. What was taken away, now leaves behind something new." 

Engraving is more than scratching a surface, its carving out a design that will change the look of something forever.   I hope the owner of this tool will treasure his square as much as I treasure mine.