Engraving is an ancient technique that has survived and spawned many different types of engraving, despite the bumpy ride to modern times. But no matter the type of metal engraving, it's worth recognizing and learning about. Today, this blog will cover several common types of metal engraving, both ancient and modern.
Ancient Types of Metal Engraving
Ancient metal engraving has a long history of craftsmanship, with traces of metal engraving techniques ranging from bronze shields in Roman times to the fine jewelry worn by noble ladies during the medieval period in Europe. Below are a few common types of old metal engraving:
Relief Engraving
Characteristics: The main engraving process is the use of engraving tools to remove the background part of the metal, so that the pattern is raised to form a three-dimensional sense. It is categorized into high relief and low relief. High relief carving requires the use of additional hammers and chisels and is mainly used to create large carved objects or delicate three-dimensional carved artwork, while low relief carving is mainly used for flat surface carving.
History: Ancient Egyptian pharaohs' gold jewelry and temple reliefs or ancient Greek and Roman relief-decorated silver plates, bronze shields, and sculptural plinths were all carved in relief.
Intaglio
Characteristics: In contrast to cameo, parts of the design are carved into depressions, suitable for delicate lines and lettering. Used for seals, coins, metal inscriptions, etc.
History: Seal rings made using intaglio carving technique were used to stamp letters during the ancient Greek and Roman periods. The technique was also used for official seals and bronze inscriptions during the Qin and Han Dynasties in China. During the Renaissance in Europe it was the metal seals of the nobility and the church.
Striking Engraving
Characteristics: A metal hammer and chisel are used to strike a texture into the surface of the metal. Striking from the back of the metal makes the design raised.
History: The gold masks of ancient Egypt and the church altarpieces and metal icons of medieval Europe are typical examples of strike-engraved works of art.
Inlaid Engraving
Characteristics: Gold, silver, copper and other metal materials are embedded in the metal surface to form colorful patterns. The most famous Damascus inlay technique is to use gold or silver wire inlaid on black metal to form exquisite patterns.
History: Gold and silver inlay techniques on bronzes from the Warring States period in China. Gold inlay decoration on swords and armor from the Islamic world. Gold and silver inlays on the hilts of Japanese samurai swords.
Gold and silver wire fine engraving
Characteristics: Extremely fine gold and silver wires are welded together to form sculptural decorative patterns. Mainly used in jewelry and high-end accessories.
History: This technique was first used in ancient India and Persia to make expensive gold and silver jewelry. Oriental countries, such as China during the Qing Dynasty, also used related engraving techniques to create court jewelry. In modern times, this technique is still the preferred engraving technique for many jewelers to carve beautiful and delicate jewelry.
Modern Metal Engraving Types
Modern metal engraving blends traditional craftsmanship with emerging technology and is used in a variety of fields including art, industrial manufacturing, and jewelry design. Below are a few of the main types of modern metal engraving:
Pneumatic Engraving Machine Engraving
Features: Pneumatic engraving machines are the perfect result of combining the features of hand engraving and modern machine engraving. The operator turns on the machine and is able to carve a variety of simple, complex and delicate pieces according to his own ideas through the engraving handle.
Main applications: small home pneumatic engraving machine is able to complete nameplate engraving, metal engraving, jewelry engraving and other fine work. It can also be used for wood carving and stone carving. Suitable for, easy processing of various metal materials to produce small handmade artwork.
Laser engraving
Features: Through the laser beam high temperature gasification of the metal surface, forming a permanent engraving. Without touching the metal can be completed to suit the fine pattern.
Suitable for stainless steel, aluminum alloy, titanium alloy and other metals.
Main applications: making customized engraved necklaces, watches, engraving on engravable metal surfaces. As well as some hardware tools, electronic products engraved LOGO. or engraved metal paintings, custom engraved crafts.
CNC Engraving
Features: three-dimensional metal engraving through CNC numerical control machine tools, suitable for batch production. High precision, can carve complex patterns, depth engraving, fine lines.
Main applications: batch production of simple jewelry, i.e., input instructions and then batch engraving on basic metal jewelry (such as engraved metal dog tags). It will also be used for mold processing, making auto parts, mechanical parts. Or engraving some architectural decoration.
Cold engraving
Characteristics: carving metal through high-pressure impact tools or special chemical treatment, without heating, without destroying the metal structure. Suitable for thin metal plates, soft metals (such as silver, copper).
Applications: luxury goods engraving: high-end watches, jewelry customization. Literary goods: hand-carved artwork, metal calligraphy and painting.
Micro-engraving
Characteristics: Through microscopic equipment + engraving machine, it can engrave complex patterns on very small metal surfaces. Used for invisible anti-counterfeiting and making micro-engraved artwork.
Main applications: the combination of microscope + laser engraving machine can be used as anti-counterfeiting technology for luxury goods, for example, LV, Rolex and other brands make anti-counterfeiting logos by micro-engraving through this combination. Stereo microscope + pneumatic engraving machine is mainly used as a carving tool for micro-engraving artists, which is able to produce amazing artworks, for example, carving complex and delicate three-dimensional patterns on rice grains.
Conclusion
The art of metal engraving has spanned thousands of years, from the hand-engraving of ancient craftsmen to the precision lasers of modern technology, and has always shone with a unique light. This technique is not only the crystallization of human wisdom, but also a cultural bridge connecting the ancient and the modern.