Scrimshaw Scribe

How to inly fine lines into wood?

I have been looking at various guitar rosettes (the design around the sound hole) for a few days before I make this design I have been wanting to try. I came across an artist by the name of Ray Kraut who has some of the coolest inlays I have seen. I have designed my own inlay that are similar to his, but am dumbfounded as to how he inlays such fine black lines into such a fragile sitka spruce top that is only millimeters thick. Here is a link to his flickr if you want to see what I am talking about.

Look down the page. See the picture of Inlaying Bits? They are used in a high speed tool like a Dremel or a Fordham. which has a router like mount available – so he cuts a narrow shallow groove and has very thin wood slice into it, curving
This is not traditional, which would use very sharp knives, gouges, and chisels and a person would apprentice for years practicing cutting the veneer and the grooves on thicker wood and the most important skill of sharpening the blades flawlessly and repeatedly.

Dragon Scrimshaw 03 – Adding Color to Your Scrimshaw

The Way It Looks to Me …