Hand engraving Zippo

[THEGRIMREAPER5650]

beautiful... truly a one-of-a-kind work!

[magicman3801]

How much it's cost ?

[donkeyplowing]

nice work..where did you get the sharpening jig????

thanks......chris

[vilts]

@donkeyplowing Sharpening jig is from Steve Lindsay, check his airgraver[.com] site.

[LORDLEN13]

u do all that work then u lose the zippo. fuck

[Ilikepie815]

thumbs up if u got shivers at 0:36

[airuniform]

absolutely gorgeous work

[jerry550]

Beautiful craftsmanship. I wonder if this is becoming a lost art.

[koxiesarmy]

I've been engraving for 35 years (hand pantograph and now computer driven and laser) and have always wanted to learn true hand engraving. Any books or other teaching tools you could refer me too? I truly envy your talent.

[vilts]

@koxiesarmy Classical recommendation is "The Art of Engraving" by James Meeks, quite old book and some info is outdated, but still a good one. Then there's just recently released "Art of Gun Engraving" by Roland Baptiste (at airgraver[.com]).

But as they say "Great design done with OK technique is much better than bad design and great technique" -get Ron Smiths "Advanced Design of Scrolls" and learn good design (available at grstools[.com]). Or Sam Alfanos design DVD (at igraver[.com])

[vilts]

@koxiesarmy Also, probably the best way to kickstart you hand engraving is to take one week basic class. GRS, Ray Cover and some other places offer this. Totally worth the money.

[felixragav]

I'd love to sneak behind you and scream my head off man.. Im jealous of your craftmanship!

[paroutdiok]

that was perfect

[Jealousofmyboxerzz]

omg! thats beautiful! you have skill. and lots of it.

[adamshah2011]

Amazingggg

[zippoguy101]

Wow that thing is nice good job ur good how much would u want for one of those lighters engraved by u

[vilts]

@zippoguy101 Thanks man. Price depends on many things, but that kind of pattern would be around 80-100 EUR

[manreekay]

@vilts Dam thats expensive, i'll just stick to my bic lighters (Y)

[jakeharris99910]

@vilts what about the redsqaure, moscow flag (former)?

[jakeharris99910]

@vilts what about the redsqaure, moscow flag? (former not current)

[donttrywhatido]

Thats beast

[trekranger]

where did you buy your tools?

[vilts]

@trekranger From airgraver[.com], grstools and other places.

[trekranger]

@vilts can someone use a dremel, or is their a tool for just starting out?

[vilts]

@trekranger Dremel is not really for that kind of engraving. To do line engraving you'd need a push graver, or hammer and chisel, if you don't want to start out with expensive equipment.

[trekranger]

@vilts i do want to get push gravers but not at such a price for a starter. is their something or place cheaper?

[vilts]

@trekranger Sure, the plain manual gravers are very cheap. I think you could get them for $10 a piece or somewhere around that price range.

[trekranger]

@vilts where ? do you have a web site.

[vilts]

@trekranger grstools[.com] has manual tools too. Also riogrande[.com]

[nedge46]

woooooow!!! nice work

[endlessiphone239]

amazing 

[MillerTres]

hey i forgot to add can i send in my zippo and you engrave it if so how much

[vilts]

@MillerTres Send me an email and we'll figure out what you need and how much it costs. Every job is different, so it's difficult to say what the price will be.

[MillerTres]

how much do you sell them for???

[mdeonx16]

wonderful art!

[1234blabla1234]

How long does it take you to engrave one zippo by hand?

1 week? O_o

[paintballhead03]

very nice artwork

[Bertendme]

hey you sell those ? those are 1 of a kind :p

[vilts]

@Bertendme Yes, I do sell / make these. Yes, one of a kind :)

My contact is at knivesandengraving[.com]

[gamerGUY117NZ]

Why is there no sound?

[kook2222]

@gamerGUY117NZ There is, either your Phones are down or you're going slighty Deaf, HELLO CAN YOU HEAR ME, I SAID CAN YOU HEAR ME!

[gamerGUY117NZ]

@kook2222 hahahahah, no

[stupitmonkey2]

Well done

[Drkstar4life]

My bestfriend recently passed away and In honor I wanted to get my zippo engraved real small or however "SAINT 1983-2009" and it's a real zippo 2003 and gold color might be brass but I want to know how to do it either by hand or by someone any ideas email me. Dannygonzalezart @yahoo. Com

[Dave54600]

And here was me ready to shoot you down for fucking up a perfectly good Zippo. Hat's off to you, superb job.

[MrCohibaboy]

so did you just engrave the middle of the zippo , cos this zippo can be bought as a japanese zippo with the engraving but only from the 4 corners there was nothing engraved in the middle when i saw it.

[vilts]

@MrCohibaboy No, the whole design and engraving is made by me.

[LordHerkules777]

very nice craftmanship. well done. my compliments from dk. How would it be to engrave a sterling silver zippo. greetings from dk

[vilts]

@LordHerkules777 Sterling Zippo is superb to engrave. Cuts very well. I've done a few. Check my blog for photos.

[willienesses]

wow

AWESOME!

looks mad assss

[fst3v0]

A skill I do not posses... I'm jelous. I just started making knifes, and that surely would be a top notch skill to have...

[GHUJSE]

See oli küll tore üllatus "We are two knifemakers and engravers located in the center of Estonia" mõtlesin, et kust sa pärit ka oled ja siis järsku - Eestist

[gvnvehco]

somebody has steady hands

[halogenke680]

and now it costs a triple! :D

still a very very, frickin nice job dude...

[liunandaboy]

my GOD!! very nice!!

are you zippo designer??

[vilts]

Thanks :)

No, currently I'm just freelance knifemaker and engraver.

[liunandaboy]

zippo must see your creation...

thats the best zippo carved..

[vilts]

Don't know what they would think of it... Maybe ruining a perfectly good brass Zippo :)

But actually, the best one is the one I finished recently, not that one ;). It is getting quite old and my design skill have much improved.

[Norcalflat]

Beautiful work! And some very impressive stuff on your site. I think have seen that damasteel knife on one of the knife forums recently, outstanding work!

[vilts]

Thanks! Yes, I put that damasteel knife up to bladeforums.

[charliezinhu]

AMAZING job man! congratulations

5 stars 4u :-)

by Ch@rlie

[cmmirra]

dude, your art is amazing, keep it up

[vilts]

Thanks! Btw. I just posted one engraved silver Zippo on my blog. Check it out - link is on 'more info' :)

[swedenboy10]

My god thats beautiful

[sherp2u]

That's beautiful, man. How much would you charge to have one of those made? None of the Zippos that come straight from the site satisfy me, and that was gorgeous.  Please let me know if you would be interested in doing that, thanks.

[vilts]

Hey. I could definitely do one for you. Please send me an email (website address is on video info, there you get my email too) and we'll work out the details and price for you.

[alesslak]

hi! fantastic work and very fine art.

is it possible to engrave a zippo made of a harder material? i have the "street chrome".. i think it's some sort of steel :P

thnx

[vilts]

Chrome Zippos are actually brass Zippos with chrome surface. They are engrave-able and should look quite ok. But there is a chance the chrome will start to flake and come off after a while. If you'd like to give it a try, please contact me via email and we'll work something out.

[korgertube]

hey thanks, im gonna check that forum

[korgertube]

Why do it in a harder way if he ca do kickass work with this way??-

Sorry one question , how much does one of those machines cost?? or even a manual one and where to get one. I want toget into engraving.

Thank you, great vid

[vilts]

What would be the hard way?

These machines start from about $600 and go up to about $2800. Manual ones are quite cheap, you just need a handle to stick the graver into. Check out airgraver[dot]com for price list and engravingforum[dot]com for inexpensive start.

[rubbercooky]

Do you also can do it without the vibration machine (sry, i don't know the write word for it now :S ) ?

[vilts]

It's called graver :)

I probably could do it also without powered graver, but why should I? Air powered engraving is still hand engraving and it doesn't stress so much arms and other body parts. And it's faster and more beautiful.

[rubbercooky]

I would not say that it is more beautiful. Without the graver it can also be very beautiful i think, if you're good at it ;) ...

I do/learn engraving without it, i tried it ones but for me it's more difficult....hm...and i don't like the noise :)

[vilts]

Well, I must tell what I meant by more beautiful - it is more beautiful when I make it, because I haven't trained with non-powered tools :)

I have lots of books where engravers have used nothing but manual tools and they make art in levels I probably never will. I think it's not the tool, but the creator that makes the engraving, or any art, work. Everybody should use what they like.

[gituardude1003]

Please tell me you do this for a liveing !!

You would make a fortune !!

[vilts]

No, that's currently just a hobby. I still need to work on my skills to become full time engraver. Which I would like to do, of course.

But, there are no fortunes made this way. Maybe just decent living, if you're top engraver.

[sirtinycreep]

I've got no chance doing that!

[gumdrops27]

Haha I just used a pocket knife but it's not half as good

[oinky101]

amazing

[frizzlefochizzle]

thats a beautiful zippo. cool vid.

[assassinwashu]

wow 8 hours nice

[Danielzjeb]

how do long time you have to make one zippo??

[vilts]

Depending on the pattern I engrave, but this one took about 8 hours.

[crazysob4801]

wow that is beautiful.

[MyBentleyGT]

wish my school had some sort of shop class...bet i could find some equipment in a shop class to engrave my zippo

[Mississippi1313]

i bet that is NOT cheap

[KPSince1953]

wow!

[Lithiumian]

It looks like a tattoo gun

[CossuMaister]

wow nice

[KolbeAnimations]

Crazy awesome, too bad it's such a dying art :(

[vilts]

Actually it's far from dying. I'd say it's making quite strong comeback now. Schools and instructors are popping up, more equipment is becoming available, forums are active etc.

[GMperformance309]

THAT WAS AMAZING...

[61pickgun]

Outfuckingstanding...that is some top knotch master work you've done there bro.

[Aexeriot]

Wow! Great work !!

[llifs123]

u got skills and an artist! but if u dont mind me asking around what price does all that gear cost?

[vilts]

Well, you could spend a little or a lot, just like with anything else.

I bought the best (IMO) graver there is - Lindsay Classic with PalmControl, that alone costs about $2800 USD. Plus microscope $2000, vise $500 and lots of other minor stuff. So I guess around $6000 USD or thereabouts.

And no, it hasn't paid back financially yet.

[italianfirebug]

thats seems expensive

[vilts]

We're on the same boat then :). But then again, I understood a long time ago, that there is actually point in buying the best tools you can. They last, don't break, are comfortable etc.

[lazzyazz69]

damn dude you really got skills:P

[TheStyxWolf]

wow man u got skills, enormous detailing =] i might actually go buy one from you, or 2, or 5...

[neospeardude]

truly a skilled craftsman you are!

[vilts]

That one is long gone, but you could always order a new one from me :). Check knivesandengraving[dot]com

[TheMJVideoPoster]

Hello, i got to say, You are impressive at engraving. Nice job :)

[IAR440]

i want that one =[

[bigjon9892]

beautiful

[Uskok9]

awesome nice work

[brizzols07]

awsome

[imsorryfortomorrow]

that was fantastic