[4V50 Gary]

Suggest you attend Lassen College's NRA Summer School engraving classes. I took a few days at Conner Prairie (Fishers, IN) but really enjoyed the training I had at TSJC under Michael Pierson. It was one week of hand engraving and the second week with the power graver. You have to practice on flat plates before you can be ready to work on curved surfaces.

Layout is key. The engraving must compliment the firearm and must not obscure any of the existing markings (maker's logo, stampings and especially serial number). It must be balanced too.

You might want to learn to draw first. Study the engraving patterns of Louis Nimschke who engraved for Colt in the late 1800s. L. D. Nimschke: Firearms Engraver Hardcover by R. L. Wilson was one of the books that Dr. Pierson recommended. The Golden Mean by Barry Bohnet is well worth reading. You can get the latter from the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association in Friendship, Indiana. To learn how to look at engraving and how to execute it, I like John Schipper's book, Engraving Historic Firearms, the best. He breaks it down to basics. Mind you, his technique of holding the engraving bit is different and it works well for him. He shows you how make your own sharpening machine. It's expensive (about $120) but you can buy it at the same time from the NMLRA if you get Bohnet's book.

I think Ngraver also offers engraving seminar. Their equipment is nice but pricey. Got used to using them at TSJC. Haven't bought a power graver but I did but a machine to hone my engraving bits. That cost over $700 (with two other grinding wheels and a jig to hold the engraving bit at the right angle).

BTW, Joe Rundell also teaches at TSJC. He's adept at both engraving and relief carving.