NEW GRAVER SHAPING photos & techniques - 18 photos

 This much needed tutorial essay is geared to literally everyone who needs to know how to shape a NEW engraving tool.

 I'm making this an 'easy to read & understand' essay. All of the subtle nuances of 'graver shaping' will be covered in this writing along with the 18 photos. 

               Please read  #1, #2,  & #3 thoroughly.

                                    ------------------------------------------------------

    The Rate of Difficulty on this shaping process is 9+ out of 10.

 1). PLEASE WEAR GOGGLES, OR TIGHT-FITTING GLASSES. 

 (I'm not responsible if you get any steel particles in to your eyes.)

2). PLEASE WEAR LAYTEX GLOVES TO PREVENT ANY STEEL PARTICLES FROM GETTING INTO  YOUR FINGERS. I use the gloves at all times, so should you.

 You may print these 'instructional aids' and share them with your colleagues. 

3). Keep a beaker of water within easy reach as this 'dunking into water' will prevent any overheating of your new metal cutting tool.

 If your graver turns BROWN or RED, this means that your steel graver has started to 'soften', it can be repaired (hardened) again. But we aren't in that business of repairing these damaged engraving tools at this moment. 

 Already there is a 'turning of colour', but this is of little concern to you, as the tinge of 'metal softening' is of little importance, why? This discolouration is not near the point of actual graver cutting. KEEP YOUR GRAVER COOL TO YOUR TOUCH AT ALL TIMES.

  The rounded shape of the 'rotating grinding wheel' has been nicely altered by repeated shaping from previous tool situations. This will greatly help you in forming the shape of your blade.

 Start the shaping within 1-2 inches from the tip of the blade. This will give you a gentle curve to the front of the blade.

 

 To achieve a 'curve' as shown, I apply gentle pressure (but not to overheat the steel) but not going to close to the face of the blade. Lessen the 'direct pressure' as you get close to the point. EMPHASIZE THE 'AREA  OF GRINDING' AS SHOWN IN THIS PHOTO.

 This is the length of the 'exposed graver length' from the handle. This is the optimum length it should used for getting the best cutting results.

 

 All gravers should never exceed the length to the middle finger.

 The first cut should be at least a maximum of 2 inches to the tip of the graver. (Not one millimeter more). In this photo, the length is already getting too long.

I use only HSS (High Speed Steel) never the softer Carbide steel blades.

 In this photo, you can "little balls of water" resting on the end of the blade. This shows that after starting the blade-shaping, the blade is still quite cool. THIS IS SO VERY IMPORTANT.

 EXMINE THE 'SHAPING LENGTH' AT ALL TIMES. KEEPING IN MIND THAT WE WILL BE THINNING THE FRONT OF THE BLADE----CONTINUALLY.

 Once that the back-end of the thinning area has been decided---STOP YOUR GRINDING. That is, stop to extend the back-end shaping processes.

  Remember to keep your blade cool to your touch at all times, especially after each grinding action. (Should I repeat this statement, again?)

 For better metal 'cutting and carving', gently shape your blade to this style of design.

 If you need to modify the front-face to either a 'left-sided blade' or to a 'right-sided blade' your labour will be greatly reduced. I know this from past experiences.

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 REMEMBER THAT 'GRAVER HEAT' GOES TO THE FINE TIP OF THE GRAVER POINT. This is very problematic when you are 'fine-shaping' the blade.

 Flood the graver point continually with water, especially during these periods in shaping.

 The top graver being shown is kept for exclusively 'rough-cutting' and not for any sort of "Bright-Cutting".

 The lower blade can be shaped to be used as a "Right-Sided, or Left-Sided Bright-Cutting blade". There is no need to keep the blade "thick as a mountain".

 Some of my peers prefer to keep the tip of the graver blade like a 'hunk of steel' that is used in metal carving.

 My desire is cut exactly what is needed, instead of pushing the graver blade into the metal and hoping for some good effects. 

There is no need to have a "mountain of steel" when only a slim shaped blade is best.

 

 Here are two blades. The blade on the right is a "Flat Graver" of #40 width and the blade on the left, is the "Onglette graver" #2 width.

  All of these graver-photos were taken with this Bench-Grinder. The only difference is I had 9 YEARS of apprenticeship and a 'journeyman' for an additional 5 YEARS to perfect my skills.

 The graver grinding process is not an easy task to learn. YES, you will make mistakes and 'burn' some gravers, but you will learn how to create a wonderful tool that will last for many, many months. 

=>THERE ARE NO SHORT-CUTS IN THIS LEARNING<=

 I am making many more tutorial-essays on other Diamond Setting projects. I suggest that you print out the blog-pages and put them into a folder, as a mini-book.