MEMBER ITEMS FOR SALE
Custom Knives | Other Knives | General Items
-------------------------------------------
New Posts | New PhotosAll Photos



Go Back   The Knife Network Forums : Knife Making Discussions > Custom Knife Discussion Boards > Knife Making Discussions

Knife Making Discussions A place to discuss issues related to all aspects of the custom knifemaking community.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 01-20-2006, 11:34 AM
chaos_customs chaos_customs is offline
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: ont canada
Posts: 94
scrimshaw? help please

i want to get in to scrimshaw but have no idea how to get started i have two questions
1) what tools do i need and are they hard to get or expencive and if so could i make my own
and 2) how to you do it i have no idea what to do any help would be appricieated
thanks vic
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 01-20-2006, 11:46 AM
Ray Rogers's Avatar
Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
Founding Member / Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wauconda, WA
Posts: 9,840
I don't do scrim myself so take what I have to say with a grain of salt, but I believe the techniques for doing scrim are simple and the tools are almost always made by the scrinshander himself.

The basic process is to simply scratch the pattern into the ivory with a sharp metal point, then push ink into the scratch. It can get more complex when a real master does it, and making it look artistic definitely takes talent, but the basic process is pretty simple.

There is a book on how to do it called How to "Scrimshaw and Carve Ivory" by Blackie and Michael Collins. You should be able to buy it through my website at http://www.rayrogers.com/books.htm


__________________

Your question may already have been answered - try the Search button first!






Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 01-20-2006, 11:55 AM
chaos_customs chaos_customs is offline
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: ont canada
Posts: 94
thanks ray ill look in to that book do you know any other places i can get info i dont have a credit card and mom dosent like to buy things off the inter net (she dosent trust it )
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 01-20-2006, 12:22 PM
RBSlaughter's Avatar
RBSlaughter RBSlaughter is offline
Skilled
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Santa Cruz, Calif.
Posts: 529
Vic- Bob Hergert from Oregon sells an instructional course in Scrimshaw... Here's the link, the info is at the bottom of his home page.. If you have never seen Bob's work...Prepare to be blown away.. He is amazing... Good Luck, Rich

WWW.scrimshander.com
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 01-20-2006, 12:34 PM
chaos_customs chaos_customs is offline
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: ont canada
Posts: 94
thanks ill check it out when i get home the school has it blocked under the catogorie of sex i was like what! but any way thanks again and ill be sure to check out his work
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 01-20-2006, 01:33 PM
Ray Rogers's Avatar
Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
Founding Member / Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wauconda, WA
Posts: 9,840
Any book store should be able to special order it for you ...


__________________

Your question may already have been answered - try the Search button first!






Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 01-20-2006, 02:37 PM
Andrew Garrett's Avatar
Andrew Garrett Andrew Garrett is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Nampa, Idaho
Posts: 3,584
I own the Collins book which is listed on Ray's site. It's a great little manual that covers the basics. Certainly worth what I payed for it. I'll bet your local bookseller can get it for you. Mine was about $8.


__________________
Andy Garrett
https://www.facebook.com/GarrettKnives?ref=hl
Charter Member - Kansas Custom Knifemaker's Association
www.kansasknives.org

"Drawing your knife from its sheath and using it in the presence of others should be an event complete with oos, ahhs, and questions."
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 01-20-2006, 03:09 PM
Mitch Edwards Mitch Edwards is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 18
Vic,
First question is, can you draw? If you can freehand whatever your mind can see, then scrim work will be no problem. If not, then you can run into some frustrating moments. Anyway, there are some books out there on scrim work. The Second Scrimshaw Connection by Bob Engath is a very valuable resource. There are 2 basic types of cutting you will do. Line cut and stipple. I would practice on something like white macarta. Don't start out on a piece of expensive material until you feel confident. Another source of scrim work will be found on a lot of old powder horns. There are many on the market. If you would like more information and I can be of any help you can contact me at medwards@glasgow-ky.com. I have a few pieces on my web site at www.traditionalknives.com Good luck in your pursuit of a fine art.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 01-21-2006, 02:33 PM
Lori Ristinen Lori Ristinen is offline
Steel Addict
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Menahga, Minnesota, USA
Posts: 101
When I first started out I used an x-acto knife and later found a metal scribe (the tip was basically cone-shaped). Now I use a needle in a pin vise. The needle is the thinnest one I could find. It is a needle used for sewing by hand, that I sharpen as needed. I am basically self-taught. I learned as I went, tried different tools, found easier ways of getting the result I wanted.

The material you will work on has to be sanded smooth and polished very well. Any scratch or pit will take in ink. Basically, when you scrim, you are taking off the polished surface so it will accept the ink. The ink will wipe off the polished surface. I will scratch in, for example, the hairs of an animal, but the rest is stipple (dots). I use ink for black and regular artist's oil paints for color.

My practice pieces were on plastic spoons (there is a picture of them on my website). I also worked on deer antler, paper-based micarta (don't use linen or canvas micarta), and even corian (countertop material). If you try any of these materials and find scrimshaw is too hard to do, I strongly suggest scrimming on ivory. It is by far the easiest material to scrim (elephant ivory to be exact). www.boonetrading.com sells a scrimshaw kit that I believe comes with everything you would need to start scrimming. I have also seen the kit as some knife shows.

Good luck!

Lori
www.LoriRistinen.com
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 01-21-2006, 04:53 PM
cricket's Avatar
cricket cricket is offline
Steel Addict
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Alpharetta, Ga.
Posts: 256
Talking

If your interested in learning scrimshaw, there's a workshop held at the Batson Hammer-in in Alabama. The lady who teaches it will walk you through the entire process and show you anything you want to know. I hope this helps , I know it's a long way to go, but the knowledge that is walking around at this event is nothing short of amazing, you can't turn around without seeing another knife "super star". Come on down south and see the show, you'll be glad you did.


__________________
Remember... hit it while it's HOT!!!
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 01-22-2006, 01:33 PM
rashid11 rashid11 is offline
Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 44
As one does it, for color scrim, and rubs in ink of different colors, do you just wipe
off the excess and then you can dot/scribe for the next color right away and apply
it, or do you wait till the prev color dries off ? Same for b&W ?

What inks are good to use ?

While I can not draw that well, my wife is quite an artiste - I figure I'd ask
her for a favor.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 01-22-2006, 08:45 PM
Lori Ristinen Lori Ristinen is offline
Steel Addict
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Menahga, Minnesota, USA
Posts: 101
When you scrim in color you should scrim the darkest colors first and work your way up to the lightest. You have to be careful. If you add blue, and then scrim yellow next to it, be sure to wipe the excess ink or paint away from the blue or you will get green. I just be careful not to "paint myself into a corner".

Scrimming in black and white is easier. You are only using one color of ink (black on a light colored material such as ivory or white on something black like buffalo horn). It doesn't matter where you put the black ink or which way you wipe it off because you are only using one color.

Lori
www.LoriRistinen.com
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
knife


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:13 AM.




KNIFENETWORK.COM
Copyright © 2000
? CKK Industries, Inc. ? All Rights Reserved
Powered by ...

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
The Knife Network : All Rights Reserved