How I Create Hobos ~ John L. Schipp This is how I begin this style of hobos. I flatten the Indian, sometimes hitting the edges with a laser welder to smooth the edges.



I like to cover the nickel with black sharpie and use a sharp tool to draw on the design. If you mess up it's easy to paint the area in with sharpie and draw it again.



I like to lightly (with a square graver) outline the drawing. Then with a modified flat graver I dig out the field, carefully keeping it as flat as possible. I use a flat graver, but I have slightly rounded the corners up so I don't get any hard lines cut into the field.



I like to clean the field up first. Using the flat graver I cut it as smooth as possible. Then i cut a small strip of 3M 400grit wet dry paper and work the field by pushing the sand paper with a chopstick.



I did all my detail work with a square graver. That's usually the case.







The final tone is a mixture. I rub in a small amount of Sam's transfer wax. Then paint the coin with a Sharpie and rub that off with my thumb. Last I paint the coin with a gun blue pen, let it dry for a few minutes and rub off that till I get the desired effect.

Thanks for looking. I have learned a ton from this forum. I just wanted to give back a little. By the way, I'm no expert so take what you like ~ ignore the rest.  Johnny  18 October 2010

