I have just updated Kirk Lynch's web site with some pictures of an engraved full set. All of the engraving was done by hand by Gil Hocker (who also happens to own the set) over the past 10 years. The mainstock ferrule alone took 400 hours. The cup is the last remaining piece to be engraved.
That really is beautiful work - to look at. I would be scared s**tless to ever show up with a set that looked this good. Everyone would then expect me to play equally as well.
Nice to know someone has the skill, patience and will to make something so nice.
Tell us something.: I used to play pipes about 20 years ago and suddenly abducted by aliens. Not sure why... but it's 2022 and I'm mysteriously baack...
I heard Gil play them this summer at the Adams County (Pennsylvania) Celtic Festival.....They sound as great as they look. It prompted me to buy my used Lynch 1/2 set.
I decided to tinker...as you know I am wont to do. I took the closeup images of the double cord knot, the reg keys, and the other smaller knot and pasted them into a paint program. I traced the black and eliminated everything else. I then fitted them together to make strips (not for the keys, though, those were complete images). Printed them on clear address labels. Trimmed. Put a coat of clear nailpolish over the ink. Applied to the appropriate places on my set and >pouf< from two feet away you almost can't tell the difference. From four feet away you definitely can't tell the difference. Something to try...took about an hour...
