How to Engrave a Kentucky Rifle

The Kentucky Rifle was among the first long rifles.

There were numerous variations of the early American long rifle, from the Tennessee rifle to the hog rifle. But the Kentucky rifle, or Pennsylvania rifle, was one of the most accurate and popular in the 18th century American frontier. A muzzle loaded rifle used in the American Revolution, this historic firearm can be engraved to give it a personal feel or an even more rustic look. Engraving gunmetal can take years to master.

Things You'll Need

• Sketch paper and pencil
• Acetone
• Water
• Kentucky rifle
• Gravers
• Vise, clamp or engraving block

Instructions

1. Sketch the design you are going to engrave on the rifle.

2. Unload the rifle.

3. Clean the area of the rifle you will be engraving with acetone. Rinse the rifle with water.

4. Copy your sketch with a copier that uses toner ink. Apply acetone to the back of your sketch copy and hold it onto the area you are engraving. The acetone will transfer the ink onto the metal.

5. Secure the metal with a clamp, vise or engraving block.

6. Cut the outline of the design onto the gun with the graver. To add detail, use different kinds of gravers.

Tips & Warnings

• Sharpen the graver periodically.

• Practice with scrap metal before attempting to engrave a gun as antique as a Kentucky rifle.

References

• Frontier Folk: Kentucky Long Rifle
• Engraving School: The Art of Hand Engraving
• University of Michigan: Ilustration Techniques
• Antique Prints
• Time Zone: The Art of Hand Engraving