William Moody Traditional Hand Engraving

04/16/2022

I'm back to actually engraving and just finished a couple baby medallions for a close friend and client. I discovered my muscle memory needs a lot of "fine tuning!" That will come with time and practice which I'm working on daily now. I have five sets of entry level knife sets (four knives per set) which will be done after I finish three stainless steel cemetery flower vases that have been in the wings since before my health issues and they will be completed next week. Then I'll get to check out the bracelet bender I just got from Daniel Urrea when my wife's 14K bracelet is completed. I have a lot on the books (three rifles) to engrave and hopefully they'll be done soon. I don't have time to disassemble them but I have a great gunsmith to take them to. I'll try and keep posting updates in a timely manner in the future. So much to do and so little time to do it!!

02/20/2021

An update on my health and progress with my knees. My 6th knee surgery was just completed, the third on my right knee, and the final joint is in place and healing well. One more to replace the spacer in my left knee with the "real" one remains. One good thing came about while in the hospital and recovering at home; I received two new engraving projects from those taking care of me and from my new building, both of them Kindle pistols! Extra incentive to get going!!
My "studio" has been moved (the basics anyway) to a small spot in the kitchen so I can at least do some simple engraving. The outbuilding for my permanent studio has been built and passed inspection for the first phase, now to pour the epoxy flooring, wire it and finish the interior so I can set it up for work. I'm accepting commissions now to be in line behind those already on the books. Looking at six months from today before I get those on the books completed. I'm really excited about getting back to engraving, but the weather isn't co-operating with me (must be winter!) as it has been too cold for the epoxy to flow and adhere to the concrete and it needs to be completed before any of the other work can commence. I have my mother's sense of humor as she used to pray for the Good Lord to give her patience.....RIGHT NOW! At this time I must practice patience as it is getting near the actual completion date. After all, I've been in this predicament for the last fifteen months. I'll post an update later with a few pictures.
I the meantime, be patient with me.

08/08/2020

I know it seems my website is for my ego, just to say I have one, but believe me, it isn't so. My lft knee took a turn for the worse and had to be completely rebuilt. I had to keep my leg straight for six weeks and put no pressure on it at all. I could only move from my bed to my lift chair, 12 hours in each. Couldn't even go to the bathroom, had to use a urinal, and for the other function, it was really a challenge. (one time my wife called our preacher from across the street to get me off the toilet!) The doctor didn't prescribe therapy as he "didn't want the PT's to overwork it and damage it further." Any ay, the bottom line is my recovery is progressing well, though VERY slowly. It may be a couple more months before I visit my studio. I really, really, REALLY want to get back to work. there are too many commissions waiting and my customers have been very patient.

I will be changing my avatar soon as I have retired the "red suit" and will nor longer be portraying Santa Claus. I have shaved and cut my hair in the hope the kids won't recognize me.

That's it for now. hopefully it won't be too much longer and I can post some of my work. May God bless all of you.

06/10/2020

Well, when life begins to get better, it sometimes ain't! My left knee replacement was going ok, then the patella started moving out of place and was super painful. The doctor drained 65cc's of blood off the knee which was forcing the patella to the left, by 1 1/2". He placed a brace on the knee to keep it in place to see if that would correct the problem. It worked...for a while. After church Sunday my knee started hurting again (felt like I was on a bucket of glass shards) and it was Tuesday afternoon before I could see him. Very uncomfortable two days! He withdrew 60cc's of blood from the knee this time and decided surgery is needed to correct whatever is going on in there, which is scheduled for this coming Wednesday. Let's hope this works.

I only mention this to inform everyone why I haven't been engraving lately. It has been impossible for me to climb the stairs to my studio. I did go up and reorganize my workbench and prioritize my projects in the order of starting and completing them, and, luckily, there are only three clients waiting. Fortunately, they are aware of my situation and are very understanding. I don't like working like this, but when life throws a monkey wrench at you, you either duck or grab it and jerk it around some. Sometimes it fights back. But, this too shall pass, just uncertain when.

Thanks to everyone for your patience and understanding while I fight back. Maybe I'll find some time to comment on relevant topics and impart some "wisdom," or just plain ramblings.

08/28/2019

Well, I finally ha6my right knee replaced and therapy is going great, so it shouldn't be too much longer to be able to go to my upstairs studio. I have only been there once in the last six months and it sucks. I go up steps one at a time and come down on my butt. I'm getting excited about the prospect and have a lot of back projects to catch up on and several others to start as I want to sit for Masters recognition in 2021. Was going for 2020 but this happened. So, after my Santa Claus season is over this year I'll be locking myself in the studio and get really serious about it and will try and post some progress pictures. Keep me in your prayers that it will come to fruition and be a success.

12/07/2018

I know I haven't been on here for a while; things have been hectic and my workbench is piled up with unfinished projects and some waiting in the wings.

This is no excuse, but my wife was diagnosed with endometrial cancer, had surgery (successful) and is currently undergoing a new type of radiation therapy, and I have been unable to get into the studio due to knee problems. My studio is upstairs and I'll be having total knee replacement surgery in five weeks which I sincerely hope will allow me to climb steps afterward.

Stay tuned as I fully expect to post more pictures of my work soon.

08/21/2018

I have been a little crazy lately, not wanting to climb the stairs to my studio knowing I'll be coming back down in a few hours for a doctor's appointment or something similar, but that is changing. I have completed a C**t collectible knife, which I'll post here shortly, and am in the process of engraving a Spyderco Police edition complete with background removal, which takes as much time to do as actually cutting the design itself, and they will be for sale. I'll be engraving several entry level knives for Christmas presents and also a small stainless .25 cal semi-auto pistol. I plan on being busier than I have been lately and will no longer whine about the climb to my creative loft. Hope you'll be looking for my creations.

02/16/2018

My web page www.moodyengraving.com< is up now and working (mostly!) as I'm still adding to it. A webmaster I am NOT, but I;m trying and will have more pictures of projects I have engraved added as soon as I can find them on the computer.

Thanks for looking.

One of the first questions asked is “How did you get started engraving?” to which my reply was it was really by accident. I was a certified welder working on a nuclear power plant in 1978 when I needed something to keep me busy during downtime, the time waiting for Quality Control to inspect eac...

02/05/2018