how do they do that ?

[Bungo]

This question is more or less aimed at Ford H. and Jim K the resident artists..........

http://www.esnips.com/doc/3614badd-00e1 ... ong-mei-1a

 

look at the mon, is it done by patination treatment of the metal ? Can't bloody be onlay/inlay !!

 

milt the ronin

[Henry Wilson]

At a guess I would say that they use the little stickers that you sometimes get with model airplanes to get such an effect. What do you think? :lol:

[Ford Hallam]

Well,...I could tell you how it's done, but then you'll all be able to do it. :D

 

The mon are first inlaid as circles of shakudo. The metal is left slightly proud of the ground metal. Funny enough we call the smaller pieces that will be inlaid; "mon-gane". The actual mon design is then engraved on the shakudo disk. The background metal of the mon ( which appear silver in this case ) is carved away, only a very shallow depression is needed to allow the design to stand proud. A fine texture is the usual finish, sometimes nanako, occasionally smooth planished. This background is then silvered ( or gilded ). To finish, the mon is polished using stones and charcoal, this removes any trace of silver from the raised areas of the mon as the depressed area is left untouched.

 

When I get back from Miami, 9th Feb, I'll do a little tutorial to show the process.

 

hope this explains a little.

 

Ford

[docliss]

Dear Milt

 

Perhaps a sahari inlay, surrounded by a wax-resist area during patination?

 

Regards, John L.