Barrel inlays and signatures

[Molly]

I see some builders put their names on an "in-lay" added to the barrel.  Usually light color (silver??).

Can anyone point me to a tutorial on how that's done?  Sure is a classy touch!

[Goo]

I am not an expert but..... When I do mine I first cut  out the spot on the barrel, sharp hard chisel or mill or whatever but not too deep maybe  a 1/64" - 1/32".   I get the cut shaped nicely then undercut the edges with hand engravers and then I cut a piece of what ever metal I am going to inlay the hole with, IMHO  the metal filler sheet should be twice as thick as the depth.    I bevel 3 sides making as tight a fit as possible so it has to be popped in.     I then anneal the inlay metal and fit the piece into the hole and using a large diameter punch with flat polished end hammer the soft metal to make the edges drift or  expand to fit the undercut hole,    dress polish and engrave .    Experiment,  have fun make mistakes on a practice piece, take a chance on piece of mild steel rod.

[smylee grouch]

I think Hershel House did one on one of his video guns, in brass IIRC. Basicly cut out the area and under cut the edges, put brass sheet in and swaged brass into under cut then dressed it down.

[Daryl]

I think JerryH and DaveC use gold.

[jerrywh]

 I do it several different ways. If you use brass or sterling silver it is probably best to do as described in the previous posts but I would either solder it in or use loctite if it was thin.  I know it has been done without the solder but a thin inlay that big can pop out if there is nothing holding the center down. There is another solution. Thicker metal will not pop out like thin metal will because it will not flex as much. .040 thick would probably stay pretty well. 
  Best to use pure silver and put a bunch of  teeth in the center. The teeth just look like the teeth on a rasp and should be arranged in apposing directions. If that is done and the edges undercut it will stay. When the inlay is hamered down it is important to begin the hammering by placing a flat piece of brass on top of the whole inlay and pound it all down a tone time until it is stuck pretty well. If you were to start on one end it will expand out of the cavity.
 I'm doing one like this right now.

[Molly]

Thanks to all.  Jerry, that is really classy!

It's sort of how I perceived the process basically.  There will be no problem in "making mistakes", I'm sure!  But I cannot say that contributes to the "fun" side.

[elkhorne]

I believe that Eric Von Aschwege has a tutorial, with photos, on his website Neahkahnieflintlocks.com. I hope this helps. I have been wanting to try it but will do it first on a scrap piece of barrel several times before I do it on a barrel for a rifle. Good luck and post your work if you do one to inspire the rest of us. Happy New Year!
elkhorne

[oldtravler61]

   Jerrywh thanks for the tips. Your workmanship is always inspiring to me. Oldtravler

[Cory Joe Stewart]

Eric von Aschwege has a very good tutorial on this on his website www.neahkahnieflintlocks.com

Cory Joe Stewart

[B Shipman]

Jerry, that's crazy. I have enough trouble cutting a box or a simple pattern.  Ido it deep.

[jerrywh]

 Bill Shipman.
  Nothing wrong with your guns. If I was to buy one it would be one of yours. Your on my list of the best.

[davec2]

JerryWH taught me how to do this on a practice piece of barrel....24K gold inlaid in blued steel......

[jerrywh]

 Super nice job Dave. For those who don't know those gold wires inlaid in the script are no larger than .015 diameter. It is a real trick to undercut the cavities. Some of them may be as small as .008" . I highly suspect that Dave could inlay a gold wire the thickness of a human hair.

[oldtravler61]

  If anyone's curious. A human hair is about .005 give or take a few tenths.   Oldtravler