WHY must your OIL-STONE be kept clean? =>16 photos

  THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC ON OIL STONE CLEANING.

 I prefer to repeat essays that are EXTREMELY beneficial to jewellers and novice stone setters.

  The reason for this important cleaning process is to avoid 'pushing' the engraver steel remnants into the delicate pores of the oilstone.

 If we keep rubbing the shards of metal deeper, the final result
will be that the graver will just run on the stone and be rendered nearly useless.

 This topic has been discussed many times, but it needs to be revisited frequently. Each time, I might use different texts & ideas.

 I would like you to share this information with your colleagues or students. 

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  You can see a faint layer of oil resting on this expensive oil stone. This stone is not like other porous oil stones, but it's created for finer metal cutting.

 This stone rubbing must not be used in 'short strokes'. The rubbing should extend 1/2 to 3/4 of the length of the stone. This is why you will anticipate a collection of metal remains all over.

               NEVER USE YOUR STONE WITHOUT ANY OIL.

 If you see a collection of metal remains, STOP!!! Clean the stone!

  You see that there is a little layer of steel sitting on the oil stone. It doesn't belong there, why? This collection will interfere with your future graver rubbing.

  Even if there is a little layer of oil (as seen here), add a gentle touch more to assist your grinding.

 No matter where on your oil stone grinding is being used, keep it well lubricated. After even a few minutes of stone rubbing, remove the steel remains.

 In this photo, the amount of important oil shown is insufficient for normal usage.

This is the optimum amount of oil; nothing less than this.

 Here are my two oilstones. The 'brown coloured' stone is very porous and also so very coarse.

HOW CAN THE METAL REMAINS BE REMOVED? I use a strong magnet to 'lift' the metal off from the oil stone.

  To replenish the old oil from the surface of the stone, I suggest a low viscosity of oil. Motor Oil is too thick for this purpose. Don't take this route.

 These engraving tools need to be in perfect condition at all times, hence the many times that these tools need to be refined.

 Even at he end of the day, from metal sculpting. The oil stones need to be constantly kept clean.

 NEVER RUN YOUR GRAVER BLADES ON UNOILED SURFACES. The reason is that the steel will overheat, which will occur at the very tip of the blade.

 Furthermore, the graver remnants will get stuck in the pores of the stone.

What REALLY HAPPENS on your "Polishing papers"? => 15 photos

   First of all, I have just one question. Why is the polishing paper that is being shown here so 'bright & shiny'?

My answer is that you are looking at this is where the soft-core pencil rubbing took place. This is an absolute necessity in this whole graver cleaning process.

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This essay is all about what occurs while you are applying your engraving tools to the 'modified, polishing papers'. 

 Without any soft-core pencil 'rubbing', there wouldn't be any chance to improve the texture of the paper. I prefer to use only #800 grit paper for the 'beginning' process.

 The basic level of #600 grit is not soft enough to initiate the enhancement of the gravers.

 When the steel gravers have been used, then gently switch to #800 grit. The final grade of the paper would be #1,200 grit.

 Each of these polishing papers now has a chance to change the degree from a 'mediocre' quality to 'exquisite'.

 Now I will use a finer texture and use #1,200 grit paper. All of this is done by filling in the pores of the paper with a soft pencil lead.

 As you can see is the beginning of the higher lustre of steel graver taking place.

 There are 8 levels of 'softness' being shown here. They range from a coarse 'Emery' (on the right stick) to an ultra-smooth 'Polishing' paper (on the left stick).

 

 The darkened paper is the reflection of the paper under the minimum amount of bench lights.

 Basically, in this one photo, there is only one grade of pencil rubbing that has just taken place.

  On the far right corner of this photo is the untouched #800 grit paper. Now look towards the centre and left corners, that is where the pencil rubbing was just applied. 

 I WOULD APPLY A DEEPER LAYER OF 'SOFT PENCIL' LEAD. I need this to work with the steel gravers. All of the freshly rubbed paper must be covered with these pencil rubbings.

 After many rubbings on the polishing papers, this soft pencil actually was contoured with the soft lead to a 'nice angle' for future rubbings.

 This is the best Polishing Paper to use. At #1,200 grit, the pores of the paper are now being filled with the soft core pencil lead.

 These front sections of these gravers still need to be refined further.

  You can see how much of the pencil lead has been used. I will gladly apply further soft lead into the pores of these papers.

 When the graver has sharp edges, always be careful not to cut into the paper too deeply. If you do that, then the section will be deemed useless.

 DO NOT PRESS TOO HEAVILY ON THE PAPER. I SUGGEST TAKING LONG AND DELIBERATE RUBBING.

 

 When you are cleaning a FLAT graver, always keep the graver lying flat. You need a steady contact with the paper at all times.

  This photo shows the full extension of the pencil rubbings. All of the pencil rubbing will be used and not 'bits & pieces'.

 Without any soft pencil rubbings, there won't be any bright & shiny sections for the 'Bright Cutting' to take place.

 I could keep writing about what is transpiring at the 'paper level'. Suffice, to say that this essay is a start on this long topic.

BUD burs & Onglette gravers => 12 photos

 This ultra-small, bud-shaped bur measures only 0.55 mm in size. Now compare this to the larger size of 5.00 mm in diameter.

 The purpose of these 'bud burs' will be decided upon by the jeweller or setter to consider.

 The tools are there to 'pick and choose'. I always think that if one bur has been used only once, at least it's been a good choice in buying it, agree?

  This Onglette graver has all of the essential particulars stamped on the side. The #4/0 refers to the width of the blade. "Glardon" is the manufacturer. "HSS" denotes that the steel blade is of high tensile strength.

 All kinds of metal cuttings can be delegated to an Onglette & Flat gravers. None of the flat surfaces has been computer-designed.

  If you need to quickly reduce the thickness from the tip of this Flat graver, the easiest method is to use your 'coarse-grit' grinding wheel. It's far better than removing the whole blade and reinserting it back into the handle. I'll use this technique many times at a moment's notice.

 These are my favourite Onglette gravers that I use in "Bright Cutting". Although some of them appear to be thick or even thin, the reason is what those needs are.

 

 Every graver point has to be highly polished and not have any 'textured surface'. These rough surfaces will reflect onto the metal surface.

 

 What are these numbers, and what do they represent?

The "6" is the number of lines that will do the Florentine Cutting.

The "16" is the width of the and that is similar to the "10" being narrower.

 

  These are the sample blades that are seen in any tool supplier.

  I've seen some engraving blades that are not to be used. When I shape my blades, they will be cut & shaped as seen in this photo.

"It's not only the blade that will do the cutting, it's my choice of what I can make this blade do for me". 

 You have to be inventive and choose which blade will serve you or me best.

 As seen in my previous 'tutorial essays, here is my "1,200 grit" polishing paper being used. I will make an effort to make all of my blades 'bright & shiny'.

 Here is a comparison photo of two Onglette graver blades. My choice will be using the graver on the left, as this is what will give me the best results.

 The graver on the right is just 'average & mediocre', and I can't expect any good results from it. There are still many sections of the blade not able to give me a worthwhile cutting surface.

 I HOPE THAT THIS TUTORIAL ESSAY HAS BEEN OF SOME SERVICE TO YOU. Gerry Lewy 

 

Your NEW engraving blades. => 14 photos

These engraving blades are just phenomenal in their basic uses.

They must never be taken as a casual stone setting implement. They are one of the most delicate metal-cutting implements in our vast inventory.

  The two blades you see here are the new, untouched blades. The bottom blade has been shaped on a bench grinder. This bottom blade is now ready to be used extensively, and under normal cutting procedures, one blade will & can last for many months.

 The correct holding angle is shown here. The angle should be held at least a 45-degree angle. This is to give an accurate angle to the face of the blade. The amount of oil, as seen here, is minimal and keeps the graver point literally submerged in oil. 

 If the oil is minimal, there could be slight overheating at the tip of the blade.

 Every blade must have the same angle on every metal-cutting tip.

 Even if the FLAT graver blade is ready for metal shaping, the angle must be at a 45-degree angle.

 The bottom of every FLAT blade must have a highly polished surface.

 How is this blade being given such a wonderful surface? The first step is to make the bottom of the FLAT surface as bright as possible.

 I use a basic technique to achieve this high level of brilliance. I will rub the bottom of the blade by using a #1,200 grit polishing paper

 Before any 'paper rubbing' has started, the polishing paper must be impregnated with a soft pencil core. This delicate process will make the #1,200 grit paper seem like it's now equivalent to at least #1,600 =>#1,800 grit. Interesting technique?

 You don't need a thick-faced tip of the FLAT graver. This thickness is so unnecessary, and it prevents much wasted metal cutting.

 To REVIEW!

 Keep all of the angles at 45 degrees. Do not deviate from this number.

 

 Keep your oil stone well lubricated, as this oil acts as a lubricant and prevents any shards of graver metal from getting embedded into the oil stone.

 When you are using the FLAT graver for the very first time, it might seem like a great idea to clean the bottom of the underneath surface on a fine oil stone.

 It is important to initiate and maintain a flat & highly polished surface before any metal shaping & cutting has started.

 I always keep my graver at a 90-degree angle, as I want all of the graver contacts equally touching the stone. Then gently lean the graver back to the desired 45-degree angle. Never assume the metal is being 'touched' to the stone.

 No matter what you do...KEEP ALL OF YOUR BLADES WELL LUBRICATED!!! (Flood the oil surface with oil). Oil is cheap, and an oil stone needs much gentle care.