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Old 04-22-2007, 09:27 PM
Billzach Billzach is offline
Steel
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Mayfield, Ky
Posts: 73
Default Re: Coin Cutting Tutorials

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Ellsworth
Bill you never impose
so not to worry
i would be more than happy thrilled to have you jump in on this project if you want to

bill and i use differnt tools
differnt techniques
different styles
differnt everything
both ( i assume) masters of coin cutting
bill has been cutting coins longer than i
i have been carving precious stones and ivory longer vthan coins but the same stuff applies (sort of)

we do grind our tools differntly
if you are limied in steel then watch and learn
if you want to go for it then be prepared to make a few tools

this is a thing it might take you a lifetime to learn - maybe not
it is not like engraving and there are not a lot of us around
when we die it goes with us and whats left to our students
bill and i are in the top of the realm
we dont have to teach or takea back seat to anyone
we have more projects than we have time left to live
but we love the art and are willing to share
up to you where you take it
kind of like owning a light saber and being a jedi
...Coin carving to a degree has been going on for hundreds of years, but i think i would be correct in saying the way the old timers carved and the way we modern day carvers carve has been going on for 75 to 100 years..With the history of coin carving spanning the amount of years that we,ve a record of, I think it,s safe to say there will still be a demand for carved coins after Steve and I are gone..After carving coins for 11 years and unless i change my mind after this year i plan to limit my coin carving to a very few a year, so as the older coin carvers slow down there is a demand for new coin carvers.. Amost everytime the subject of carving coins comes up a new coin carver asks me,," what does carving coins pay"...It depends on how much in demand your coin carvings are to collectors , if you flood the market, don,t expect to get a very high dollar even if the carvings are nice..Also it depends on how long it takes you to carve a coin...Many coin carvers have a hard time getting a smooth field, for me getting a smooth field is really easy, but even after many years carving coins i still find that in other areas of carving i still have room to improve...[ps] My goal is to carve a coin one day that will make people say " How Did He Do It"..
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