The bolt knob is one of the smallest parts of a rifle that can be decorated. It is only about 3 cm across, yet engraving it is a multi-stage process.
Stage 1
For gold inlay, 24-carat gold wire is first hammered in, and the whole surface is then polished smooth. Next comes engraving the steel, as chart 1 shows: first the shape of the flower is drawn with a scriber, then the outlines are cut with a faceted graver, the background is removed with round and flat gravers, and finally the background is matted with a scriber.
Decorative cuts
Once a section is prepared like this, lighter decorative cuts can be added. There are many options: the cuts can be sparse or very dense (which looks more striking but takes more time). The knob in these photos is an example of rich engraving, so we have also added details photographed through a magnifying glass 🙂
Engraving
Engraving a knob in this style, divided into bands, usually takes about 3 to 4 days. The entire piece was engraved under a microscope.
