Why should you use a thin Flat graver? => 12 photos

  Some stone-setters profess and promote a very thick metal cutting blade. I'm not going to explore this thick Flat graver, as in my 66 years of Diamond Setting would I ever use a "chisel" thick blade.

 This is the epitome of a well-sculptured "Flat graver". This blade will allow me to 'cut and carve' contours that some setters think that my cutting was CAD created.

 This blade was incorrectly sharpened & shaped for just one purpose. It is an example of 'inferior graver refurbishing' it would not be suitable for any serious metal cutting.

 What would I use it for? Easy answer, I wouldn't use at all!!!

 The front of this blade displays that the very tip got softened by not cooling the steel while being shaped on the "bench grinder". The steel tip got overheated and rendured the metal nearly useless.

 (The steel turned brown and got soft, this is an indication of lack of attention in the shaping process.) WOOPS!

 These are my own Flat gravers, you can see just how thin the front of the gravers are. I can use these particular gravers for any fancy metal sculpturing as in "Fish-Tail"..

  This graver has been used so often, that the blade is getting thick at the front. It needs to be recut & reshaped again, as soon as possible.

 This is the same blade, now you can see just how thin it looks. I can now cut with confidance to all  kinds of intricate patterns, as I will show you in the following photos.

 I'm now ready to cut into any precious metal and any pattern that is required.

 I've selected an assortment of photos from my 'blog-library', that will show in great detail where these Flat gravers were put to use.

 This is where my Flat graver will do its fantastic metal carving.

 

 There is no other graver that can carve a smooth continuous line as shown here. I used a #40 wide Flat graver.

 The 'angled inside cuttings' were all carved with a #39 Flat graver.