400th essay => new uncut gravers - 9 photos

 For this 400th essay, I'd like to explore "new gravers". These blades of steel are your absolute 'best friends' at your bench.

 This essay has nothing to do with aspect of gemstone setting, on the contrary, it's all about how to be made aware for buying these blades.

 I'm not in the position to promote any tool supplier, some photos had their brand name attached. I will make your buying trip laden with more information about which graver to select and why, agree with this scenario?

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 These gravers are short in length plus the front face is too thick for detailed cutting on narrow designs. If you are not familiar in grinding your own blades, then stay with the 'shortened blade' as shown here.

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 These gravers need to be shaped into a fine point on your bench-grinder. "Glardon" are a wonderful company with these blades, plus there is sufficient length for many, many months of metal cutting.

  If you are engraving patterns into metal, I suggest buying different shapes of blades. If your tool supplier have "HSS" (High Speed Steel) blades, buy them, Why? These blades have a longer bench-life as compared with the (softer) Carbide steel.

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 The length of these gravers are the 'correct' length for every 'setting' application. I use these blades continually, so why not you?

 As you can see that every blade is composed of "HSS", High Speed steel. When I buy new blades, I will buy only this tensile strength.

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  This photo is of a FLAT graver and has a shape for my (special) Diamond Setting. I will shape the very tip on my bench-graver. BTW, every graver MUST BE MODIFIED after being purchased.

 There is little reason for me to buy these thick 'Flat' blades. The problem is that during the grinding there is a great tendency for the steel to overheat during the shaping process.

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  In modifying this blade, the chances for me in using an Oval blade was few and far between. I'll stay with a FLAT , or an ONGLETTE shape for 100% of the time.

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 Here are 12 of the 'best gravers in town' If you can buy these 12 blades as a set, please do so. You will be much more happier with your purchase, trust me!

 If you are not experienced in shaping gravers yourself, then buy these graver blades as they are. 

 Modifying (shaping) gravers is one of the most difficult experience in learning gemstone setting. It took me only 6 months to learn this 'skill'.