What burs will you use in creating jewellery 'patterns'? => 18 photos.

 We all use burs to set gemstones but to make 'creative' patterns is the main reason for this tutorial essay. The tools that we need are just the basic "Bud and Round" shaped burs.

 The very small bud-shaped bur (being shown) is measured at #003 (0.03 mm) and this is compared with size #40 (4 mm) in diameter.

 I wanted to use this plastic display case, as a reference you have in metal shaping and cutting.

 What you are viewing here are silver plates that WERE NOT ALWAYS CUT BY GRAVERS. The following group of display plates were cut into two shapes of burs, these are the "Bud & Round" shaped burs.

There are many times when the 'human hand with the Onglette graver' might not give the correct cutting pattern. It's advisable to use a BUD bur to guide and assist you in this venture.

 I suggest exploring practicing any 'bur modifications' before you start to do the actual carving.

  Many times in this project, I always redo any necessary improvements. The method is to use a BUD bur to keep the lines straight and as well keeping the desired depth.

 These 'graver lines' were made uneven for a purpose. It paved the way for using any bur that is needed.

 This 'display plate' shows where the tapered bur is being made ready to eventually make 'beads'.  Onglette gravers can only do so much, I always use these selected burs to do the extra carving.

 If you see any uneven graver cutting, you can use your tapered BUD bur to facilitate this extra metal cutting. DON'T USE A ROUND BUR, as the Round BUR might and could give you more uneven lines. 

   Bud-shaped burs come in all sizes, from 'small' to 'extra large'. The sizes will be shown further.

 Let's not forget the Round shaped bur. For metal carving, I used a #004 Round bur. (Not too sure if the #003 burs are still being made by "Busch"). 
  

 I used the smallest available Round bur to clean any remaining metal behind the hand-made burs. What you see here WAS NOT CREATED BY CAD.

 After using my gravers to cut a line, I explored the idea of enhancing the width of the deep cut with a BUD shaped bur.

  Extra care was taken as I didn't want any deviations from the Onglette cutting.

  As seen in the opening displayed photograph, these Bud-shaped burs come in all sizes and for all uses.

  If one bur gets badly worn, it's not always the case to repair it (them) but just discard that worn bur. I could have well over 125+ burs at my disposal at any one time. This does not include the still unused plastic packets.

  Here is the full range of "Bud" shaped burs. These sizes started at #003 and went up to #021.

  This is the full set of Round burs from #003 (.003 mm's) going up to #026 (.026mm's).

  The "1" designation refers to a ROUND bur, and the "6" is the SQU ordering for a BUD bur.

  These are my vast assortment of both "ROUND" as well as the well-used "BUD" shaped burs.

  I keep both pin trays full of burs of both 'shapes and widths'. You just never know which bur will be needed at a moment's notice, I'm always prepared for any eventuality.

 I keep an extra stock of burs put aside if I need one or two. What I have here are the semi-larger sizes, not only the mini-sizes as shown.

In closing, I hope that have gained another insight into what these burs can do for you.

What is the face ANGLE on your "Onglette & Flat" gravers? - 20 photos

  The correct graver face angle is so very important, that it shouldn't be neglected in being discussed and photographed. "NEVER ASSUME THE MOST OBVIOUS".

 In my 9 years of apprenticeship, my teacher (who was the foreman of a Diamond Setting department in Canada's largest jewellery company), always gave me his gravers to 'sharpen, or reshape'. If I failed to succeed in this 'learning task', he explained to where I went wrong.

 The gravers that he gave me were meant to be used solely in "Bright-Cutting" in this companies exquisite designed jewellery.

 Much emphasis rested upon my 'new found' knowledge. This singular task became essential into the ongoing production of beautifully crafted jewellery.

  The 'angles & shapes' that we will discuss today are shown in the greatest detail. 

   After a mere 65 + years 'shaping gravers', it's my honourable duty to now teach you this 'fine skill'.

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  The fine point of either the 'Onglette & Flat' graver is essential in 'Rough & Bright Cutting'. I see no reason why some gravers are created thick as seen in other videos. 

 This is the fine-shaped FLAT face of a graver. You'll notice the fine tapered steel blade was created just for one purpose, that is to get into the little spaces in the pattern. 

  You can barely see just how thin the face of this graver is. The graver face angle is at a mere 45 degrees. 

 In this photo, the graver face is still a 'tad too thick'. Even in this situation, the graver needs to reshaped on a bench-grinder.

 

 Here is an Onglette graver being nicely held at the preferred angle of 45 degrees. You'll notice that I will ALWAYS apply oil liberally on my Oil-STONE. 

 I NEVER LET THE GRAVER BE HONED ON A 'DRY' SECTION ON THE STONE. The reason is that 'minute overheating' might occur.

 It is sometimes that I'll keep my graver thick as shown, but this rarely occurs.

 Every graver-face in my collection, is at a '45 degree' angle.

    This is the WRONG angle to do any reshaping, I won't delve into those errors here.

   This is my 'preferred graver angle'. You can now see how thin the shaping has been applied. Even with the graver at a very thin #4/0 width, the angle of the face hasn't been jeopardized.

  I've been using this Flat graver for a period of time, the front face angle hasn't being altered one iota.

 

  Every 'graver face' is at the same angle on all of my 18 gravers in my inventory. "Its a learned thing". No matter what the graver width is on any Onglette or a Flat blade, the desired angle is ALWAYS at 45 degrees.

 

 From a tool-store supplied steel blade, I've changed the appearance to a superior cutting 'piece of art'. 

 All of these blades, regardless of the length, will give me outstanding results. These will be inserted into my 'adjustable graver handle'.

  This specially prepared blade has been sculptured for my 'specific needs'. It's still at 45 degrees, not 30, nor 60 degrees.

  

 

  Many times I will keep the Onglette looking like this being shown. The very 'front face angle' is what I'm aiming for.

  Here are my adjustable graver handles doing what is 'best' for me. They are holding any length of graver that I have kept aside for Bright-Cutting.

  Here is a fantastic photo showing the actual 45 degree angle face cutting into the metal.

 

    If the graver needed to be altered or repaired, it is quite easy (for me) on my Bench-Grinder.

  All of this cutting was initiated by 1 or 2 finely created Onglette gravers. Each of these gravers had one purpose, that was to cut into the metal with a 45 degree angle face.

  

  I consider this modified graver to act like a 'surgical blade'.