When has a graver completed its 'metal cutting life'? => 7 photos

 We've tackled all kinds of problems with gravers. The next very important question is when to say "ENOUGH, it's time to throw away this little blade". Stop, we can still use our "adjustable handle" to get more use out of it.

 To the average craftperson, some of these 16 gravers could be thrown away. But not on my bench. My aim is to get as much 'life' out of each blade as possible.

 This 'adjustable' handle is the secret to the longevity of a small blade.

 Inside this wooden handle is the secret to keeping this small blade still active.

 Many diamond setters would take this little blade and quickly dispose of it in seconds. WHY?

 As long as the bottom of this FLAT graver is clean and well-maintained, it still has many months of use remaining.

 I use a protective 'thumb-guard' to wrap my fingers around the tip of this little blade.

 From the length of a new blade on the left of this photo, there are many well-used blades. Size has no reason to discard any of these gravers.

Here are the results of 'FLAT graver' cutting => 10 photos

 Here are some interesting results of using the Flat graver.

In my vast inventory of gravers, I lean heavily towards the #40 size of blade.

 Although this photo shows how rusty these blades can get. As long as the bottom edge can be cut cleanly, there is little concern about its overall appearance.

 I initially started to cut with an Onglet graver. As I was preparing to cut a serious line for my FLAT graver.

Any cutting for a FLAT graver must be thought ahead of time. There are three words: "WHEN, WHERE, HOW." 

 The graver must follow certain routes in metal. The graver MUST ALWAYS BE 100% HIGHLY POLISHED.

 

This diagram explains the exact result of each contour in the metal. This is 'not a game of chance'. Every series of cuts must be well coordinated and planned well ahead of time.

 Here, you can nicely see just how a simple line cutting will result when finished. I, with a touch of (English) humour, make every FLAT GRAVER LINE shine like the "Hubble Telescope". 

 Every Onglet 'graver line' has to be well prepared with much clarity. With this engraving, there is no second chance. I will just sit back and prepare a picture in my mind as to where each cut will be made.

 My engraving tools must be kept in pristine condition 100% of the time.

 With a highly polished graver, these cuts will be like a mirror in metal. In this one photo, you can see two steps of finishing the 'inverted V'. Every cut must be like an artist sculpting in metal.

  I will plan many steps ahead and THINK, our tools are the 'paint brushes'. Mistakes never enter our minds.

 Every line MUST BE A WELL COORDINATED SERIES OF CUTS, AND THERE MUST NEVER BE ANY 'FACETING' IN THESE CUTS. The angles must never differ from one to the other.

  I 'found' this diagram on the internet, as it displays the cutting widths of some of the Flat gravers. My Flat graver has a width, unfortunately, not in this diagram, pity.

Do you use a "FLAT" SHAPED GRAVER? => 14 photos

This FLAT GRAVER is a well-used metal cutting tool. It has been shaped to cut into the most delicate areas.

 

  There are many shapes of gravers; we will be dealing only with the 'Flat Shape' in this essay.

 Many stone setters will prefer a short & wide blade. I prefer the shape as seen in the first photo. 

 These blades, as shown in these photos, are completely without any form and can eventually be used for stone setting.

  As you see, this graver (made by another manufacturer) is also 'HSS'. All that remains is to use your 'bench grinder' and shape the front of the blade.

There is much interesting information embossed on the blade.

1. "HSS" is the tensile strength of the steel.

2. "Swiss Made" means where the graver was produced.

3. "N 4" refers to the width and its numerical size.

4. "Vallorbe" refers to the municipality in Switzerland.

5. "Glardon" was the original owner in 1898.

 All gravers that are manufactured these days are 'HSS', which means that they are created to last for many months. The 'HSS' means that the steel blade has been modified to be of "High Speed Steel". The #2/0 & #4 refer to the width of the blade.

 Here are a few common designs of blades. My preferences are the commonly used Onglette & Flat. The Knife, Round and Bevel are mainly used in engraving designs in metal.

 You can see on the bottom blade, the jeweller, or stone setter, shaped the graver blade to their exacting proportions. He did his 'graver shaping' on the bench grinder.

  Here is my favourite handle that holds securely any graver with two screws. One screw might get badly worn that will render the device useless. I always buy a 'two-screw' handle, as shown here.

 Any Flat graver will be instrumental in any decorative metal cutting.

 Here are some examples of metal cutting that both the Onglette and Flat gravers can achieve in unison.

 

 One side of this heart pendant was carved with the Onglette, while the right side was finished with a Flat graver.

                                 

 This particular information on the side of this Flat graver tool refers only to the company name and the specific size of the blade.