Similar topics have been written on many occasions by myself and other authors, but in this essay is all about "General Maintenance and Where Can Gravers Be Used".
This essay shows you a multitude of gravers, of all shapes & lengths, that have helped me through the many decades. There are 80 PHOTOGRAPHS IN THIS TUTORIAL ESSAY.
One of the most interesting tools in any Diamond Setting bench, are not the burs, or the ring clamps...but this 'essay' is all about...GRAVERS!
From this simplest 'blade of steel', we can now create many of the most ornate patterns known to the masters of this profession.
I have many examples to show you all through this tutorial essay.
We can now create from just the basic jewellery designs, without them we would be totally lost with only working in claw settings.
Without any of these gravers, I couldn't have created my exremely expensive Poker-Disk exceeding $495,000.00 U.S.F. in May 30th, 2013. I was accorded a Guinness World Record!
The number #7 brings "good luck" to the (Non-Asian) communities.
The number #8 is a very "lucky" number in the "Feng-Shui" Oriental tradition.
How many Diamond Setters (world-wide) have been chosen with this honour?
These basic gravers can create "Bright-Cutting" - "Cut-Down techniques" - "FishTail" patterns. The cutting of Cabochon Settings & Round Shape and along with the Bezel Settings, of course not to forget the graver-cleaning around a "Gypsy Setting".
Lets not to forget as well my recent essay of using Flat gravers cutting the inside of the "Vee" shaped claws in a "Princess-Cut, Diamond Setting".
Now honestly, how can any Diamond Setter of any professional background engrave without any gravers?
Furthermore, we couldn't create any "Florentine (Liner) Cuttings". We just couldn't engrave any sort of floral patterns on silver bracelets. The patterns being shown here are 100 years old, estimated in the mid-1920's!
All of the rigourous cutting (on this silver bracelet) was all done by hand, and no machine engraving was ever applied.
My close friend, who was acting as a client to me wanted to dispose of her bracelet and after a few short moments I decided not to proceed further with her wishes.
She (last week) applauded my wishes by letting everyone see how hand-engraving was done well over 100 years ago. I wanted to give her the $25.00 for the refining the bracelet, she refused!
I knew from that moment on, the "World of Jewellers" needed to see this hand-engraving upclose. I saved this bracelet from "The Ultimate Disrespect" by melting it down just for a few dollars of recycling.
Only "Gravers" gave you and I the chance to create something valuable.
Here are just a few more views, showing that this bracelet engraving was "all done by hand".
I constantly feel honoured in having this "on loan to me". Just thinking that this was originally engraved on to a slightly curved surface, all of this, just to rest onto a womans wrist.
Outstanding artwork from eons ago! All of this with only a few basic gravers!
In an earlier essay that I wrote, was on the "Introduction to a 'Florentine' Tool", this had another name for a "LINER". This mundane, stone-setting graver, is the most favourite tool at my bench.
This essay is a study of how the engraver, who then transformed a piece of silver into what you can see today! I call this a totally amazing feat of 'hand co-ordination' & dexterity with using only one or two gravers!
This engraving exercise is unbelievable, do you not agree?
This "Florentine graver-cutting", is located below in the "Petals of the Flower".
When I was in my apprenticeship years, circa the 1960s, I knew even way back then, I had an inkling to work closely with gravers and all that they had to offer me and the other setters.
We're starting now in learning to explore these fantastic gravers and all that they have to offer!
On my "Difficulty Scale", this GRAVER Essay is now rated at 8.5 out of 10". In my estimation, I would prefer to give it a rating of "35, out of 10". The "modification and constant maintenance" elevates this level of difficulty just throwing it off the scale.
You, the reader, should be reading this essay multiple times as there are so many "side-topics" to discuss.
These are my complete selection of gravers.With them all, I can create the 'best' designing and engraving in the "Field of Diamond Setting".
I am showing you in this lower photo some of my "Onglette #0, #1, #2 & Flat Gravers #39 & #40.
Here is an assortment of gravers, they may appear to be short in length, but when they are placed in the wooden graver handle, "they will all have the same length".
Your "hand to length" ratio should be left up to you, as "your hands have different lengths". Even your left-hand will be different to your right-hand, interesting thoughts?
I prefer to use a graver-handle with 2 (securing) screws, why so? If a 'one screw design of a handle' wears out, "good-bye handle"! I'd rather be safe than sorry!
No matter the graver with it's total length, it's the point of the graver that interests me!
My gravers all have a very fine point, I have just no intention to be 'PUSHING' a load of not needed steel. It's the very front of the graver, that I'm working with!
This is the very front of this blade that I'm always working with!
When you are working with your fine graver point, always use your finger "safety" pad. It protects the skin, as many times your finger finds it's way to be resting UNDERNEATH or against the graver (sharp) edge.
I prefer the "1.05 mm width" as this gives me the best cutting results in Diamond Setting.
Not one of these gravers have been altered by anyone else, only I, have done this myself.
The HSS is a shortened name for steel that is 'hardened" (drop forged) so that it won't wear too fast. This HSS steel will wear for years under normal use!
These ARE MY GRAVERS and each of them are suitable for many specific setting needs !
I give each of them the upmost care during their life-long uses.
I could use one, or a multitude of Flat gravers, as each could serve me with different purposes!
This is my list of graver identification, my favourite is my 1.08 mm's, or #N 10. See below!
As I am a (Engraver) Diamond Setter, the greatest care is given to each of these tools.
"Maintenance is what keeps these gravers in prestine condition".
This care of my gravers (during apprenticeship years) taught me to respect my gravers. The chances of "literally burning the steel" as it's being sharpened against the Bench-Grinder is what determines if the blade is worthy of being useful, or not!
The timing of shaping the graver; this takes an average 3/4 hour from shaping the graver and then applying the blade to the Polishing paper. This careful grinding process can make or break, if a graver is worthy of being a highly precision cutting tool, or not!
Here are a few views of the "face of the graver while in the process of shaping".
Here are my many (18) "paper-polishing, boards" or sticks. Each graver and with it's own paper each has a different purpose. My polishing boards were made available from a store named of "Home Hardware", they are just the correct length & thickness of the wood, these are 'paint stirrer sticks.".
To start from the "240-(Emery) grit" Emery stick and ending up with a #1,200 grit takes on an average of almost of 20 minutes to make a piece of ordinary steel, to a finely modified graver.
The greatest care is taken in preparing each graver for the precision metal cutting that is intended to be used for, very soon.
For ongoing maintenance, I use "Artists-Pencil" as shown, it has a soft-leaded core and this alone will easily make a soft polishing paper even that much more softer in the "grit".
This will make the Polishing Paper from an #600, to a #1,000 grit. I found a great tool-shop that has papers with grits of #2000, I did so yesterday as I bought 3 of them and adding them to my (useable) inventory! I had 6 paint stirrer sticks sitting in my office, I have 3 remaining...:>)
Those 3, ultra-soft, "Polishing Papers" are now ready to made even softer, or smoother with the pencil rubbings. With my Flat graver ready to be used. I'm just excited that I can't wait. I'm getting newer silver flat plates for experimenting on tomorrow, that's what makes my diamond setting writing, so much darned fun. I can then show you and the group how it works.
This will give me the upmost smoothness that is hard to find. As you can see I use the pencil rubbing on a select few.
The need and constant graver attention results in precise cutting.
Hence, all of my gravers must be ready for precision "Bright-Cutting" and must be always in prestine condition whenever possible. If not, I'll have to change my profession, "G-D Forbid"!
I'm using a razor blade to make the inside core of this 'Artistic Pencil' maintain it's wide pencil-core. This wide core is what 'we' need to keep a wide swath of Rubbing on the Polishing Papers.
This "Pencil Rubbing" is not required on any Emery (#180 - #240 - #400 Emery Paper. This is only on the "Polishing Papers" the "Emery Paper has a range from #180 (if it's found) #240 - #600 grit".
From #800 grit and up to #1,200 grit is the range on your "Polishing Papers". There are some #2,000 grit, at this writing, I found some sheets of this paper & I bought them at $3.00 a sheet.
The Pencil rubbing as shown here increases the smoothness of these Polishing-Papers. The pencil-core fills in the pores of the paper and increases the required grit. Many times, tool suppliers may not have the required grit, then YOU must create your own paper-grit as needed.
This is the information for any "Artistic Pencil", the date below signifies when I first bought it!
I make sure that my graver is not being used "off the pencil rubbed" areas. I need the smoothness on all of Pencil-Rubbing areas. Please observe this 'rubbed area' as shown below.
In this precision polishing, I keep my graver "always on the Rubbed Areas". Becasuse of this, I must always maintain a very wide swath on the polishing paper. Do you see how wide my rubbing area is?
The wide rubbing on my paper is made for just one purpose only and that is to give my 'rubbing' a better chance to get to my Graver.
I don't push or dig deep into the polishing paper I'll do this GENTLY! If I RUBBED TOO DEEP, I COULD EASILY RUIN THE PAPERS' SURFACE as this can easily happen.
In the following many photographs, I must let you know that these don't belong to anyone else, I HAVE NEVER COPIED OR PLAGUERIZED other peoples "library of photos",
These are my own writings and photographs:
If you want to copy my text or photo's, please feel free in doing so, there is no charge for this.
I liked this 'square of engraving' inbetween the two stones. I have no reason to have any stones set first, if I did, there would be broken graver points or soft stones everywhere. This would be just a bad option.
"Now lets get on with the show!"
EVERYONE, please remember, do all of your "Bright-Cutting & other sort of Engraving" long before your stones are set.
There is no possiblity that any of your soft Emeralds, Amethyst, or Rubies can or could get broken. This technique is phenominal in this easy process, this is named "Pre-Cutting", as it was taught to me from my teacher, 63 years ago! aka "Stanley A. Levine" (z"l).
The name is "Azure", as underneath EVERY single hole from where the stone was set, a little pattern was then created.
In my earlier days the "Model-Maker" actually made each pattern by hand, then to keep that pattern he'd make that model in to silver, he then made a rubber mold and then have it stored it in a combination-safe for security.
I'd even put a "50, on my Difficulty Scale", remembering that in those days there wasn't any CAD to work with, pity!
Another Azure pattern that appeared under each of the holes from where the diamond was set on top. But I did this myself as an example for you in using only my Onglette #1, & #3, (as #2 wasn't wide enough) for this demonstration.
I could use a "Square graver", but I didn't have one in my graver-inventory at this time!
More "MAINTENANCE" steps for you!
When the gravers get worn down and needs to be reshaped, there are two methods!
Using your "Oilstone" for frequent and minor reshaping, or using your "Bench-Grinder".
A little safety story for you:
I was teaching a class and one of the (***) students decided to put his graver against the 'schools ring polishing machine' rotating at 30,000 RPM, not the regular Bench-Grinder @ 3,500 rpm.
The "danger factor" was that the sharp graver could have slid out of his hand and then got him impaled.
I stopped the class and told him if I see anyone doing this, I would "kick him out of the class, immediately!" I reported this "Mature Student(?)" to "Headmaster & Principle of the Jewellery Course". He saw nothing wrong in what he was doing. I immediately stopped his machine and told him to take the night off!
To continue of with the graver essay:
This ornamental cutting is so-o decorative, now honestly look carefully and examine the little
"square pattern cuttings". (BTW, please excuse the breaking in the metal on the right side.) This was due to the thin layer of silver plate supplied from my caster.
Can you think that if a stone was set before the engraving started? It just wasn't possible to make a clean cut.
For my next essay, my 'layering of silver' will be much thicker! This cutting cannot be done if a stone was set (to repeat). This great looking cutting just couldn't get done if a stone was in the metal.
Just imagine that all of this cutting was done on a flat plate! Even I, at times, I'm amazed with the results in these cuttings.
But with the metal I had on hand, I could still set a soft stone, albeit with some difficulty.
REPEATING this point: This "Azure" (as it's named) is actually created underneath the surface of the ring, this is where the stones were set on the top.
This "Pre-Cutting" then lead up to the "Bright-Cutting" processes. Again realizing that this
all started with a flat metal ring.
Here you can see the fine and thin graver. For my Pre-Cutting, I choose to use only a Graver #1 Onglette...nothing else!
The image of the cutting was reflected on both sides of the "line of cutting'. I had to be extremely carefull that there were no "faceting" on either side of the line of cutting.
This is the ultimate and serious case of precision metal cutting. The image is similar to a mirror! "This mirror image" was created by a Flat Graver with a thickness of 1.05 mm's, or with a #40 blade. Experience? So many years to achieve this high level of precision cutting.
The metal is only 1.50mm's in thickness, this is just too thin for any deep line of cutting.
But I succeeded in the stone setting, but with some experience. This is a great photo showing the little cutting of Onglette #1 graver.
This is the finished setting of these soft stones, no one stone got broken if I cut the metal afterwards.
I had to make sure that all of my gravers were ready for my "Pre-Cutting"and then which gravers do I use in regards to the final "Bright-Cutting" processes.
"My gravers are the extensions of my fingers". For me, this is 'my enjoyment', there is no such thing as struggling to cut lines in the metal.
If you are "struggling to cut your lines", then the point of your graver could be broken.
Please examine your graver-point with your 10x power loupe, if you see that there is 'shiny' surface on the graver tip, then 100% of the time that the graver point is indeed broken. Too bad!
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR GRAVER (POINT) IS BROKEN? The answer is easy, your graver will be sliding along the surface and "not cutting" into the metal.
(I actually prepared on a good graver and after working on about a dozen gravers. I had to get just that one graver that looks like it was really broken).
I think on the '12th' simulated graver reshaping', I managed to get it to look like it was "nicely broken" just for this essay.
Now you can see that little shiny point, that's where the "graver only appears" to be broken!
For the initial cuts, cut little lines, then on the second series of cuts, join these lines together. It takes series of short cuts to get the one long cut that you need! This is my rule of line cutting!
What can you do? I have either to cut deeper, or fill it in with Solder, then recut. That is why I suggest to "you to cut lightly for the first few times. Than after a few little cuts your graver will find a steadier line of cutting,
"A steady hand will give you superior and better cutting results".
Patience, or the need to work slowly, wins over your need to rush yourself! (I'm speaking from experience on this.)
The end of the line-cutting (as seen in this photograph) has one major flaw, or problem; as you are cutting, at the end and the graver tends to "turn in" and it isn't continuing to cut a straight line.
This can be an almost normal occurance for any series of setting and with engraving.
The result is that the hand may not be strong enough to keep the graver to cut in a straight line. I have the graver to cut "little cuts or jabs" in the metal.
One lo-ong graver cut is not advisable, even I wouldn't do it, so why would you?
Please be careful with your graver point, don't let it cut into your finger tips! From my earlier years, I used to have some "battle scars"..:>(
All of this cutting was done prior to setting any stones.
This my version of a "Fish-Tail, Bright-Cutting" edge!
This is a 'close-up' of the pictures in my library of plates of silver. Let's call this my "Visual Resume", the proof is in my quality of metal cutting.
This is an ultra-close-up of the 'Fish-Tail" pattern. All of this was from a flat plate of metal.
Interesting place for the stones. "This Difficulty Scale of 10, is now 30!"
A very simple, clean cut for one stone to sit. Difficulty is of '30, out of 10'. There is no missing of the lines at the end of the 'pattern', (where the lines come together) this takes much practice!!!
I would polish the metal before the stone goes in, afterwards a very light Rouging will make this ring just shine like a mirror..:>)
Remember, that there is a fine line between quality gemstone setting and mediocre setting. Practice makes a happy diamond setter and then a client who will enjoy wearing this ring literally for decades.
This ring with the Emerald was created in using only Onglettes #0 & #1, with a Flat Graver #40. Again it was I, who did this insanely careful Bright-Cutting setting this Genuine Emerald!!!
I 'burnished the (inside) decorative beads' before the stones are finally set. I like the "Milgrain" finishing, as this technique gives you a nice clean edging!
The "Square" or Pyramid-pattern with cutting makes this so intruiging to look at. Observe the cutting as it has been prepared only using your Flat graver.
You notice how the Beads are well defined and not ruined by any "inferior graver cutting".
You can also see the "Reflection" on the sides of the lines, as this is not any distortion in the graver cutting.
Only a Flat graver can give you this effect. Making sure that there is no "Faceting" along the sides of the line during the Bright-Cutting many cutting processes. I feel that there is a fine line between Exquisite Metal Cutting and being just getting the job done FAST!
The extra few minutes in graver cutting, is the difference between a "Piece of Wearable Art" and just a few diamonds put into a gold ring.
Patience & practice is so very important in Diamond Setting
The size of stones is about 1.25mm's. How could you think of anticipating to do any serious Bright-Cutting, if any "Pre-Cutting" wasn't done first,
This is a very difficult cutting process, as this is the ultimate in being able to do your Diamond Setting, par excellence!
You need the "Depth" of the cuts, the "Fine Graver Cutting" (on both sides of the lines) and the "enthusiasm" in wanting to get this Bright-Cutting done just right! I'm speaking from my own experience!
On the two sides of this demo-plate, is the "before & after" lines.
This is just a great opportunity in getting some claws created and a few stones actually set. The only problem was the thickness of the metal.
On the average any thinkness of any metal was be no thinner than 1.50mm's. If you have less than 1.50mm's you might be asking for problems.
This is basically how, or I should say, the processes in creating claws from basic setting stones in a silver plate.
This is the fundamental process in creating claws from a plate of silver with the help from an Onglette #1, or #2.
I'm taking little basic cuts one little cut at a time. Then I'm going over the whole process AGAIN with the same Onglette #1 and then the Onglette #2.
Then again joining the whole series of cuts into longer cuts, until the series are joined together.
I'm not just telling you this process, but this is what I'd be doing myself..even today, or tonight!
Right now this is the best series of photographs that I could find in my photographic inventory. All I said upon finding them was a quiet..."WOW, I found the exact pictures that I was looking for, well over 7-8 days! So here they all are.
All of my text plus and other pictures can be explained in these few remaining pictures..another quiet...WOW!
You the reader, are going to be learning a lot from this one, easy to read essay. I only wish that I had this blog way back 63 years ago!
I know this looks horrid and needing much improvement, but this is what the "Pre-Cutting" actually looks like. This is long before even the "basic of the basic" Pre-Cutting has started.
What I do is to make a series of very short, deep and more controlled cuts then this allows the graver, and I, to cut in a straighter line.
You can now have the graver cut further away from where the drilled holes are located.
If you wish more information on "Graver Cutting (or it's extremely important) Maintenance".
Please don't hestitate for a moment, email me and within a few short hours I'll get back to you. "The longer you wait for me wanting to help you, the longer you will have to wait in getting an answer"
"Your Speed in asking for help, is the answer in your learning."
"Gerrylewy18(at)gmail.com"
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