Fig. 41c. how to hold a graver
How to Engrave on Metal.
—If the object to be engraved is very small it should be fixed to a block of wood with the Burgundy pitch compound above described, but if it is a large object it need not be mounted.
In either case an engraving pad, that is, a round, thick leather pad filled with sand, is a very great convenience to rest the work on because it permits the work to be easily turned in any direction and held at any angle while it is being engraved.
Fig. 41d. an engraving on a sheet of copper
Rolled sheet copper is a good metal to practice on and you can trace the design you want to engrave on it by dabbing a thin film of engraver’s wax[35] on the metal surface with your finger and then sketching the outline with a bone stylus, that is a piece of bone having a sharp point. An example of art engraving is shown at [D in Fig. 41].
[35] You can use beeswax but it is better to make a wax by melting together 3 parts of beeswax, 3 parts of tallow, 1 part of Canada balsam and 1 part of olive oil. Or you can buy a small cake of Chinese white, wet your finger, rub it on the white and then dab it on the metal surface.