Which metal cutting graver DO YOU REALLY NEED? => 14 photos

  The variety of gravers is mind-numbing to the novice jeweller. The most important question is what will you be needing that graver for?

 This heart-shaped item will need both gravers, Onglette and a Flat blade. I used many cutting techniques in creating the pendant. Only hand-cutting was my decision; I avoided using CAD (computer-aided design). 

 All metal carving was made as I saw that certain areas needed my ongoing decision-making.

Only Onglette gravers could carve for me the intricate metal designs.

 Of the four gravers being shown, I leaned heavily on the Flat and Onglette shapes. These two shapes (in grey) are on the left of the four, which are at the bottom of this photo.

 The Flat graver shown here is my favourite "#40 width". A narrower blade is TOO THIN for many patterns in the common diamond setting patterns.

 

 The moment that you have that blade in your hand, how will you hold it? For this answer, please go to my recent instructional essay dated Jan.19th. 2026.

  I don't use a thick Flat-shaped blade, as many designs need intricate metal-cutting patterns. This is exactly why a thin blade is essential in Fish-Tail and creating 'mini-claw' settings.

 Only a thin #1 width Onglette graver is able to cut a pattern in metal, followed by the regular #2 width. To achieve a wider cut, I suggest #3 with a highly polished side of the blade.

 (This metal-cutting process is not for the novice, sorry!)

  It is customary to cut deeper into the metal with your #2 Onglette graver, but never lean your graver on its side.

   BTW, there is a great opportunity to create a nice pattern, and this is so important, but how? All of the cutting was done from a flat top ring; all we are doing is designing this with our gravers. The Rate of Difficulty exceeds 15+ on the "10 Scale".

 On the (highly polished) RIGHT side of the Onglette graver will clean the rough spots. From this delicate area and a smooth graver, there will be no more metal carving.

 This hand-cut pattern, named "Cut Down", will extensively use a Flat Graver using a #40 width.

 Here is another photo using the same flat graver and creating a curved surface. There wasn't any curved surface before.

 A wider Flat (#41) graver cannot get in between the beads; a #39 width is also still too narrow. Therefore, I always have a #40 width with me all the time.

  When I was requested to insert diamonds into a set of teeth, I had to literally create a 'Beading Tool' that would raise Beads over EVERY stone and many more in between.

 This newly formed Beading Tool was an "Onglette, #3 width". It had a rounded point, as I didn't want any part of the graver face to break off.