Hand engraving gallery

[WeldonLister]

Hey Folks,

I wanted to stop in and say hi & also let you know about the new site Hand Engraving Gallery at:https://handengravinggallery.com/khxc/
While it is not specifically Mandolin stuff they have quite a collection of engraved goodies from a number of the Country's top engravers.
You might find something there to help smooth over your latest high-dollar mando purchase!

Thanks

WL

[Ivan Kelsall]

Some of those items cost more than a good Mandolin !.They're great for the folks who can afford them & the workmanship is exquisite. If you can afford $5,500 for a belt buckle,you're not going to be worrying overmuch regarding Mando.costs. Nice to see the craftsmanship anyway.There are several other hand engraving sites on the I'net.& the skill of some of these folks is truly remarkable. Thanks for the link to this one,
Ivan

[Martian]

Some time back, S M used to offer a gravers handbook (how-to) . Haven't seen it lately. Is it still available? Any experience with it ? Maybe I'll check with them with next order.

[sunburst]

If anyone brings me a mandolin to repair the belt-buckle-scratches on the back, and I find out the buckle cost more than the mandolin, I might have to charge on a sliding scale...

[WeldonLister]

SO, Sunburst,

Are all mando players supposed to wear soft, el-cheapo belt buckles or what?
Believe it or not, there are some things that cost more than a mandolin (I know: Sacrilegious!)

All in fun,

Weldon

[Michael Gowell]

Nah, we usually hold our pants up with a leather bootlace.

[sunburst]

Many years ago, when I worked "at the factory", we were set up at SPBGMA with a display. Gibson was there too, with some really fancy instruments, back in the Greg Rich years. There was a banjo with a huge rhinestone studded design on the resonator. I took one look at it and said "Ha! the banjo fights back! There's one to scratch your belt buckle!". As is often the case, what I considered to be one of my best jokes fell flat...

It's simple really, just turn your fancy engraved (or cheap thrift store) belt buckle to your side when you play. Where is it written that a belt buckle must be worn right in front?

[WeldonLister]

Really,

You do bring up a good point & I always think it's a shame when I pick up a nice guitar & see buckle rash all over the back.....never figured out why the guys don't do like you say & turn the buckle a little bit out of the way. Personally, I don't wear one (buckle that is) when I am going to play out in public (or I wear one that doesn't scratch up what I paid big $$ for).

Liked the banjo joke...Hmm, I think by itself a banjo could cause scratches on a mandolin.....Ha Ha

WL

[zaboomafoozarg]

Are all mando players supposed to wear soft, el-cheapo belt buckles or what?
Believe it or not, there are some things that cost more than a mandolin (I know: Sacrilegious!)

Nah, but you're not supposed to spend 500x what a normal belt buckle costs just 'cause it looks pretty, especially when a cheapy functions just the same! Men 'aint supposed to wear "jewelry" anyway (which is what a 5 grand belt buckle is.)


With mandolins, however, there should *ideally* be differences between a $100 dollar 'un and a $10k one besides that of mere aesthetics :p

And if not... I feel bad for ya :))

[Ron Landis]

Hey Weldon, Don't I know you from Engraver's Cafe? I go by "Scratchmo" there. Was that you that made that cool buckle for George H.W. Bush recently? Thanks for the post!

[Ron Landis]

Yeah, it is you. But it George W. Bush you made the buckle for. Very nice work. That makes three mandolin playing engravers I know of on both these sites. Great minds... ;-)

Here is a link to the buckle I'm talking about. What an honor to have this kind of commission. Well, dang, my link isn't working. Go to the bottom right corner of the page to see what I'm talking about. Weldon probably won't blow his own horn, so I thought I'd do it for him.

[WeldonLister]

Thanks Ron!

Doggone it; I guess I'll have to tell "W" that real men don't need an "expensive" belt buckle like that....shucks!

WL

[Bill James]

Ol' Weldon does a pretty mean mandolin tailpiece also. I can't seem to upload a larger image that shows the detail which is really incredible.

[Bill Snyder]

Bill,
It is a large image. It takes up more than my whole screen and I have to scroll around to see it.
The image in your post is just a thumbnail. Click it and it gets bigger. Click it again and again and it gets REALLY big.

[Kate D.]

Make that four mandolin playing engravers.
I hand engrave for a living too. Holy Cow. Who'd a thunk it?

[WeldonLister]

Wow! Thanks Bill & nice to meet you Kate: I agree; who would have guessed. I think there is something about playing an instrument and being an engraver. I have had the opportunity to pick with some of the worlds best engravers on a couple of occasions (& it was a load of fun too!!)

thanks,

Weldon