J Bower Engraving
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My world of 

Unnecessary Embellishment ® 

Removing Debris & Restoring Beauty

11/17/2020

7 Comments

 
Do you like to barter for things? I sure do (sometimes even in my own household).  Last year I hand engraved a set of trammel points that my husband reeeeaaaaalllly wanted.  Generally, I'd just hand them over, but instead, I found myself saying, "Find me a book press and you've got a deal."  Shortly thereafter, this lovely old book press came into my possession and I decided to give it a little bit of a facelift. 
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The black, chipped paint showed years of use and the gold toned pinstriping was wearing off.  Instead of sand blasting the pieces, or removing all of the old paint, I wanted to keep its aged look by adding a coat of black right over top of the chips and scrapes.  Following disassembly of the unit, I scraped away any old paint chips that were significantly loose, cleaned it as well as I could and applied a fresh coat of black paint.  There's nothing wrong with a full restoration that takes a piece to bare metal, but I wanted this piece to retain its aged look and unique character. There's a warmth to things that look used, their marks tell a story.  I wanted to keep some of that in this piece. 
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After contemplating whether I should recreate the gold outlines that were on the press when I received it, I decided instead to have it be reflective of my own style. Using a high grade sign paint, I hand painted flourishes on the main components of the press, including the wheel.  
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In my field of hand engraving, a steady hand is of utmost importance.  A slip of the hand can create an unwanted gouge that can sometimes be fixed and sometimes cannot.  Calm and steady hands are necessary to execute a clean engraving. They are also a must in the art of pinstriping.  
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A solidly built tool now has a look that is unique and fresh. Instead of sitting unused on display on an antique store shelf, it is now a focal point in my shop being used for my block printing and hopefully one day a bit of book making. 
7 Comments
Muncie Carpenters link
10/10/2022 04:27:11 pm

Thhis was a lovely blog post

Reply
RPLA link
1/4/2023 02:43:09 am

Do you like to barter for things?

Reply
Sunless spray tanning nyc link
7/6/2023 05:07:43 am

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Davie Gay Classifieds link
12/24/2024 08:24:24 pm

Innteresting read

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gold and silver IRA accounts link
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5/5/2025 02:51:39 am

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    My name is Jenny. I'm a hand engraver but I also am a creative who has a tough time sitting still. My mind is always swirling with new project ideas.  In between engraving, I like to jump in and out of other activities like restoring a vintage camper, redecorating my home, woodworking and print making (just to name a few).   

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  • Home
  • Blog & Current Projects
  • About the Artist
  • Tool Engraving
  • Custom Creations
  • Beyond Engraving
  • Costume Making
  • Social Media Links & Contact
  • Press