The Top 5 Engraving Ideas You Should Consider This Christmas

Giving a gift on Christmas is a great thing. It’s important that your choice of gift should make the recipient feel special and appreciative of the present. You can personalise the gift by engraving your personal message on it. It’s important to have the right idea pertaining to the gift that you want to send. For example, engraved gifts for friends are different from those sent to families. The difference is in the message attached to the gift.

This Christmas is a time to make your loved ones feel special. It’s a time to celebrate the Birth of Christ through sharing. What better way to express love than to share a personalised message? Here are top 5 ideas to help you send the right engraved Christmas gift to the people who matter to you.

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CAFA Art Museum Engraving Exhibition

Central Academy of Fine Arts Museum

The International Exhibition for Wood Engravings

China has seen the opening of its largest exhibition of contemporary wood engraving prints. The doors opened on the 7th of November at the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) art museum in Beijing. The “International Grand Exhibition for Wood Engravings and Historical Archive” presents over 200 wood engraving prints, from more than 100 artists hailing from the United Kingdom, the United States, China, France, Russia and more.
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Famous Engravings Past and Present

For as long as humans have been using tools, there is evidence of engraving whether as a method of recording and communication or simply for decoration. In the 1890s, Eugene Dubois made an astonishing discovery on the banks of the Solo River, Java, Indonesia, excavating a site which was littered with the bones of early humans, animal remains and shells. The bones belonged to our ancestor, homo erectus, and were dated to between 700,000 and 1 million years ago. Dubois also collected a number of the shells which carved the way for a more recent, surprising discovery.
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What Techniques are Used for Etching Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is a versatile material that can be used for a number of applications from making cutlery to making parts of machines and so much more. You can personalise or brand things made from stainless steel by etching a symbol or a word that means something to you, a photo, a business logo or anything else. It takes a longer time to etch steel than other metal surfaces, and the etching must be done carefully to avoid damaging the surface. There are a number of techniques used for etching stainless steel. Below are some of the most common techniques in use today. Continue reading →

How was Engraving Believed to Have Originated

Ancient Sumerian cuneiform writing engraved in a stone

The art of engraving has been in existence since civilization began. In ancient times, people engaged in the art of engraving to honour gods and their rulers. The existence of stone carvings in the Serengeti show that the art had been in existence for nearly 500,000 years.

There is also the existence of the famous statuette of fertility in Austria (The Venus of Willendorf), and carved gemstones referred to as cameos which have been discovered in Rome and Egypt.

Cameos are especially famous in Rome, where they were mainly used in carvings to resemble the likeness of its famed leaders and rulers, such as Alexander the Great and Pliny the Elder. Continue reading →

How Engraving Works

Laser Engraving Machine in action

Everybody enjoys engraved products. Most of the printing we see on promotional products is done through laser beams. This is what is commonly referred to as laser engraving. Lasers aren’t applied in the printing industry only. Almost every aspect of our daily lives utilises lasers in one way or another. From the manufacturing sector to the retail and even the medical industries, lasers are all over planet earth.
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Traffolyte Engraving: The Infographic

A visual look at Traffolyte engraving, in an easier to digest format

On numerous occasions, we have looked at the wonders of Traffolyte engraving. We have looked at it in written form, but previous accounts haven’t been quite as easy to read over a quick coffee. Or on a ten minute train journey.

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Cubiio: The Compact Laser Engraver

Could future laser engravers, like Cubiio, be the size of a cigarette packet or smaller?

Cubiio post laser engraver image by Andrey Armyagov (via Shutterstock).

Imagine having this much power with a laser engraver the size of a matchbox or a cigarette packet? Cubiio could be a pocket rocket in years to come. Image by Andrey Armyagov (via Shutterstock).

Picture the scene, five years from now. We at Able Engraving and Design have a stall on the South of England Agricultural Show. We use the stall to show off our engraving talents. At this moment, the carriage of a laser engraving machine is a pretty bulky affair. In 2022, they could be big enough to place in our pockets. Mulherz, a Taiwanese company, is making this possible. Subject to a successful Kickstarter campaign, their Cubiio laser engraver could miniaturise engraving machines.

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Why Go For Bespoke Engraving?

Why you should choose Able Engraving and Design for bespoke projects

Bespoke engraving image by Pressmaster (via Shutterstock).

Everything done your way: we at Able Engraving and Design can turn our hand to bespoke projects with ease. Image by Pressmaster (via Shutterstock).

For over three decades, Able Engraving and Design have offered bespoke engraving services for customers in the South East of England, and further afield. Our company was formed in July 1986 by Mr. A. Douglas. Back then, Wham!’s swansong The Edge of Heaven topped the UK singles chart. This was the year of Diego Maradona’s Hand of God against England, in the World Cup Finals. On the telly, we watched Duty Free, Howard’s Way, and Surprise Surprise!.

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The Art of Wood Engraving

A look at how traditional wood engraving techniques are performed

The Long Man of Wilmingham, a wood engraving by Eric Ravilious (1925).

The Long Man of Wilmingham: a fine example of wood engraving by Eric Ravilious (1925).

For wood engraving, Able Engraving and Design are more likely to use laser beams instead of manual engraving tools. Though too slow to meet the turnaround times by today’s clientele, the old fashioned way has an irresistible charm. A charm which gives us a finished product that is timeless.

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