I like to post videos on Instagram showing the magic of the before and after transformations of a hand engraved piece.  Through the quick before and after, a blank metal surface is transformed into something unique in a click, blink or wave of a wand.  It's humorous and a fun way to share finished pieces, but my engravings are far from quick magic. 

There are several steps from start to finish in my hand engraving process, the main of which is coming up with a unique design.  The designs I engrave are from my own hand (unless asked by an individual to replicate their personal logo).  I draw my designs to fit the object specifically and enjoy making new designs for specific pieces.

I These small hand planes were a recent commission that were particularly memorable. A father had ordered these planes for his two young girls and asked me to hand engrave a design and their initials onto each plane.  

Shown in the video above is a tape measure engraving from start to finish. I've engraved more tape measures than I can count! What I love about them are the variations in shape and size.  An ordinary, but useful tool, now has a special and unique design embedded into it, made one little cut at a time. 

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 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. 

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.