Stippling borders: tutorial

[Maiden3.16]

Hey all. Been lurking here mostly for gun porn. Seen some awesome guns and some unbelievable stipple jobs. As I began stippling myself I scoured the web for how to stipple clean borders and found nothing so I will go over how I did my borders. This is a rough DIY method that I'm sure is not the best but has worked for me and given consistent results.

For this decided to do a glock gen 4 backstrap (image 1)

Next you tape off your desired border. Use multiple layers as this will also be used as a straight edge (image 2)

Now take your wood burner, anything works really, and use a flat tip attachment and make a recess against the tape along your border. (Img 3, 10)

Edit: the goal is to make a ledge or step that will act as the border

Now take the same flat tip and smooth over the marks and any factory texture you plan to stipple over. Here's what you should end up with. (5,6)

Edit: at this point you can also deepen the ledge you created to your desired depth

Now stipple whatever texture floats your boat.
Here's the final product. (7, 8, 9, 11)

This is a crude DIY method that I have found gives decent and consistent results. I don't claim to be an expert. If you want your gun to look like Dakota glock guy or rattle head I suggest you send it there haha. Any other techniques, methods, or comments I would love to hear them.

Here's what my 17 looks like using this method.

One more view of the finished backstrap with the border extended

[nimdabew]

A tip when you are doing the actual stipple: don't go in a straight line. It makes the texture look weird. If you use a random "star" or hex pattern, you get great results. Think of it like this: when you make your first burn, you are starting a pattern but you want to keep the pattern as random as possible. The first burn and second burn don't matter as long as they touch and share a common border. The third one should go in the elbow of the first two holes. The first and third holes have created a new elbow and the fourth goes into the elbow of 1 and 3. Eventually, if you go all the way around the first hole, you have approximately 5-7 individual burn holes in the material and a round star like pattern emerges. As long as you stay in the elbow of two other holes, the pattern looks uniform but random at the same time.

[Maiden3.16]

A tip when you are doing the actual stipple: don't go in a straight line. It makes the texture look weird. If you use a random "star" or hex pattern, you get great results. Think of it like this: when you make your first burn, you are starting a pattern but you want to keep the pattern as random as possible. The first burn and second burn don't matter as long as they touch and share a common border. The third one should go in the elbow of the first two holes. The first and third holes have created a new elbow and the fourth goes into the elbow of 1 and 3. Eventually, if you go all the way around the first hole, you have approximately 5-7 individual burn holes in the material and a round star like pattern emerges. As long as you stay in the elbow of two other holes, the pattern looks uniform but random at the same time.

Good stuff. I do the straight lines so I can ensure I get full coverage. However, the way you explained the star random pattern sounds like you can ensure full coverage swell without the lines I will try that next time. Any more techniques used like this from anyone please chime in

[trinydex]

A tip when you are doing the actual stipple: don't go in a straight line. It makes the texture look weird. If you use a random "star" or hex pattern, you get great results. Think of it like this: when you make your first burn, you are starting a pattern but you want to keep the pattern as random as possible. The first burn and second burn don't matter as long as they touch and share a common border. The third one should go in the elbow of the first two holes. The first and third holes have created a new elbow and the fourth goes into the elbow of 1 and 3. Eventually, if you go all the way around the first hole, you have approximately 5-7 individual burn holes in the material and a round star like pattern emerges. As long as you stay in the elbow of two other holes, the pattern looks uniform but random at the same time.

agreed. i will typically start by stippling all around the borders and once that is completed i will begin the body of stippling in the middle somewhere and then start fanning out. then i will start in another place that is in the middle somewhere and fan out from there and join the two masses of stippling. after the masses are joined i will move them toward the borders and fill in as appropriate. randomized stipples is more pleasing to the eye for some reason.

[trinydex]

also, very much appreciate this thread. there are a lot of stipplers on instagram that do this sort of edging, it ends up looking extremely clean. very cool tutorial.

[Maiden3.16]

Yeah looking at some pics I think I like the random pattern better aswell. Definitely gonna use it on my next one.

[JackFanToM]

I don't bother with the border nonsense, just a steady hand and patience. In the end it is a tool I'm adding texture to, not a work of art.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/quly5i9gs3yxa6s/2014-04-15%2018.21.51.jpg?dl=0

[Maiden3.16]

I don't bother with the border nonsense, just a steady hand and patience. In the end it is a tool I'm adding texture to, not a work of art.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/quly5i9gs3yxa6s/2014-04-15%2018.21.51.jpg?dl=0

Why bother with patience and a steady hand it's just a tool right? Just mar that thing up real quick and go kill some bad guys!!

[4DAIVI PAI2K5]

Why bother with patience and a steady hand it's just a tool right? Just mar that thing up real quick and go kill some bad guys!!

This.

[graffex]

Mine turned out nice without the borders...

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j401/graffex84/10426901_854201007942217_521074164345086375_n.jpg
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j401/graffex84/10629620_963883836973933_8165021611001436126_n.jpg
http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j401/graffex84/10609534_963885703640413_2141914296496188505_n.jpg

[Maiden3.16]

Those look good man. I'm not saying you need a border for it to look good.

I feel like I need to clarify a bit. I did not start this thread to argue the necessity of stippling a border or the necessity of stippling in general. This thread is for people that do like borders while stippling and for others to share their methods and techniques for doing so. I would like to keep it on topic if possible so if you prefer to willy nilly stipple your "tool" or would rather use talon grips this may not be the thread for you.

[4DAIVI PAI2K5]

Boarders with out a doubt make a stipple look finished. Most people that will argue this are people who stipple their own stuff and don't have the technique to do it so they simply have say it's not needed or something similar.

Look at any of the top guys. They all have some form of a boarder.

Gaffex you think yours turned out nice with out the boarder. I see unfinished work and bare spots in your stipple area.

[Maiden3.16]

Boarders with out a doubt make a stipple look finished. Most people that will argue this are people who stipple their own stuff and don't have the technique to do it so they simply have say it's not needed or something similar.

Look at any of the top guys. They all have some form of a boarder.

Gaffex you think yours turned out nice with out the boarder. I see unfinished work and bare spots in your stipple area.

I agree. Borders give a much more factory look to stippling. Almost all of those that do it professionally have a well defined and clean looking border.

Here's my shield that I did without using a border, however I did use taped to stipple against to try to get straight lines. It's functional but I don't like it. I have a glock 41 incoming and will be trying out some different techniques on it (including the random pattern) and will post it up.

[KentuckyWindage]

Borders give a nice look to the stippling. But you can get clean lines buy taking your time. Here is my m&p9 I just finishedhttp://i58.tinypic.com/205g7c.jpg

[Maiden3.16]

Borders give a nice look to the stippling. But you can get clean lines buy taking your time. Here is my m&p9 I just finishedhttp://i58.tinypic.com/205g7c.jpg

That looks really good man. Did you just go slowly or use some sort of straight edge to get those lines?

[KentuckyWindage]

Thanks. I used my Starret scale to lay out my borders with a pencil then I used masking tape to hold the scale down in the area I wanted to outline and used it as a guide. It works well just takes time to layout to get the right placement

[MAGA007]

maiden3.16 thanks. I've been looking for some decent info on boardering. This is helpful. Have you refined your process?

I have done stippling and its come out just fine. I'm going to trying doing more prep with sanding to recess the stippling...

Has anyone tried using an angraving tip to boarder? Thoughts?

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