Fancy Knurls

rivett608 · Oct 9, 2004

The other thread was dealing with fine knurls or rope knurls.... stuff other than the normal diamond pattern we see on most everything. What one rarely sees is fancy or decorative knurling..... These are shapes other than lines such as stars, flowers, leaves, Greek keys etc....... they were popular around 1870-1900. First photo is a Montgomery & Co. NY. catalog with a set by BMG, a sample of work showing different patterns, a handle of a shop made center divider with fancy knurling.

This is a close-up of the set...... note for some designs there are both the male and female knurl..... also there is one pattern in two different diameters with different repeats..... these do so really cool work!!!!

A catalog page from a 1893 Otto Young & Co, Chicago. showing some fancies and ropes..... If you know of any information in old books on using these please post..... I have only a few articles.... Thanks

vinito · Oct 9, 2004

rivett:
I'll take 'em!
In fact, I'll give you twice what they're worth just to help you out - $6.00/doz.

Nice collection!

JRouche · Oct 9, 2004

That's a really beautiful set. How much, and do you take Paypal. JRouche

5thwheel · Oct 9, 2004

vinito, Hah! You jest of course. 6 bucks probably would not buy the hole in one die.

Wally Evans · Oct 9, 2004

Rivett, beautiful stuff!

Does anyone make knurls like this today?

ssbn641gold · Oct 9, 2004

Rivett,Very nice designs!!I don't ever recall seeing handles with knurling patterns like that.Do you know if these were meant more for production machinery of for consumer stuff? Ken

EPAIII · Oct 9, 2004

Can I be in your will?

Paul A.

WJHartson · Oct 9, 2004

That is a really nice set of knurls. Wish they were mine.

Joe

j king · Oct 9, 2004

Wow.Those are neat.

kenh · Oct 9, 2004

Exquisite, and the case appears to be very nice too.

rivett608 · Oct 9, 2004

Thanks for your comments......... it is always nice to others think this stuff is worth while..... I'll be keeping these..... this set was about half full when I got it and I have filled in the rest....... these are hard to find.... I have bought almost every one I have seen for sale in the last 20 years and have about 60 patterns....... but there is still hope..... A friend last month bought a few out of the bottom of a drawer full of loose knurls at a dealer in NJ. for a buck each....... the normal price is between $ 25 to $ 75 each.... but finding them is the hard part!!!!!!! I recall seeing them being made to order in France and they were about $ 500 each. These were used by factories on their products but again pretty rare..... and offered for machinist's to do their own thing....... also I posted pictures of some other sets in the post on fine knurls.

Markusfu · Oct 10, 2004

Rivett-

Very nice. Have you used any of these? I'm curious how soft the metal must be ? Many of them were used on watch cases, which of course was a fairly soft gold. Do you hold them free hand in the holder shown or put the holder in the lathe tool holder? What are you using for a lubricant?

There are sets of punches for engravers which were made in France to go along with the knurls also. They look like small leather worker tools.Picture attached.

Regards
Markus

rivett608 · Oct 10, 2004

Markus.... yes I have used them a little in brass, cr steel, silver etc. I have used both hand held and tool post holders..... I prefer the hand held. I like a drop of tapping fluid which is what I use for coolant most of the time.... slow speed and lots of pressure.... comes in those nice small cans. That is a really nice set of punches....... do you do much with them? I have a tool used to make those...... just as these knurls, there seems to be very little in print about the use of various decorative tools for fine metalwork.

WJHartson · Oct 10, 2004

You can still purchase the decorative punches today from some of the jewelry supply houses. They have a lot of different patterns. I have made a few to decorate jewelry backgrounds using dental burrs to create the patterns.

Joe

Jim Williams · Oct 10, 2004

This is a fantastic thread! Those knurl sets are to die for. Thank you so much Rivett for sharing them with us. I have several of the fine concave knurls that I have purchased or made from convex masters, but have never seen the fancy ones except in the catalog illustrations. We can all hope that the publicity will result in the discovery of more of them. I have seriously thought about using my Deckel GK-21 to atttempt roller die engraving. This same machine could probably produce fancy knurls.

Jim Williams

Michael Az · Oct 10, 2004

Beautiful set. Looks like a treasure for sure!
Michael

rivett608 · Oct 10, 2004

Jim I think the best ones were made using a Deckel (or similar) with the rotary attachment.... there is also a way to make them with punches...... I think the best article was in that Popular Mechanics thing on shop tips that Lindsay reprinted that showed this punch method...... I'll have to dig it out and check. I was surprised to see it in there......

Here is a detail of the two samples of work in the other picture that are clearer...... Before I tried to put as much stuff in one photo to save time/space but it is just not so clear.... sorry

And here is a detail of the beaded knurls that are on the other end of that center divider.... these are easy to make..... just index around the edge drilling with a ball mill to the same depth and harden and you have a knurl..... these work very well in brass and I seen some nice examples on early 18th century French work....

Jim Williams · Oct 10, 2004

Rivett,

Thank you very much for sharing the detail pictures with us. The pictures are truly inspirational!

Jim

Ralph_P · Oct 10, 2004

I like the label on the box, "Knurling Outfit"

Markusfu · Oct 11, 2004

Rivett- I haven't done much with the punches other than testing what they will do on some pieces of brass. The other pics you posted of the knurls are realy breath taking.

Markus

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