A stainless steel key fob is a great way to practice your skills — especially before executing a technique on an expensive piece.

Jeff Parke, who sharpened his engraving skills with a Sam Alfano lettering class at GRSTC, decided to try out gold inlay with background removal on this steel fob. Parke is anticipating a job engraving a Joe Kious knife, but he needed something to practice on first.

He hadn't tried this technique before, and it is the first time he has attempted to shade gold like this. "It's like cutting flour....I did learn a lot though," Parke commented. Although he says it is "far from perfect", Parke whipped this practice piece out in about 10 hours or so. With such little time invested in this piece, it served as an efficient way to practice AND create a nice little key fob.