Lindsay modified handgraver

[JeffLiles]

Lindsay hand graver, 2-screw fastener, solid stainless steel, best in the business.

Rubber or turned sycamore.

You decide. Choose wisely.

 

[Phil Coggan]

A very nice job, but......when a standard blank is fitted and the ball of the handle is in your palm, the graver tip is way too far out.

When I started engraving, all my tools were hand made, including the gravers, a cheap and simple way to make a graver handle is to chop off about 1.1/2" of broom handle, taper the business end..if you want, drill a hole and push the graver in, the short handle sits nicely into the palm and aids curves etc as it's flexible, a long handle isn't.

Phil

 

[Jahn Baker]

I seem to have small to medium size hands and find it extremely difficult to control the graver when either the handle or the graver is too long. Therefore always use the "mushroom" style handle and have been known to cut graver blanks in half before mounting them. Guess we all have to figure out what works for us.

 

[monk]

ditto with what he said. i'd cut it to just about what the original black rubber was. maybe a bit more fat. maybe you're holding this in some odd way, who knows. but for most of us , that is way, way too long to be controllable. jmho

 

[sam]

Looks awkwardly large to me.

 

[monk]

i show here how i hold for push work. note that the graver tip is not far beyond the index finger. also shown is a batch of home brewed graver holders. no two are the same length. this allows me to use very short gravers, to the old style which are much longer. i made all of these except the one on the far right. a few inches or broom or mop handle suggested by phil will work. fancy not needed, utility is.

 

[monk]

I seem to have small to medium size hands and find it extremely difficult to control the graver when either the handle or the graver is too long. Therefore always use the "mushroom" style handle and have been known to cut graver blanks in half before mounting them. Guess we all have to figure out what works for us.

if you make handles that are very short, you'll find that the longer gravers don't need to be cut in half. i have an assortment of handle lengths which allow me to "push" with any graver i want to.

 

[Chujybear]

But you could tap the back with a little hammer, for hammer and chisel style engraving.

 

[Mike_Morgan]

While the handle appears to be nicely crafted, it seems to be counter intuitive, to me. I use the airgravers, I find their diminutive size to be a plus, and if they were to alter the size I would want them to be even shorter! Not even one time have I ever wished they were longer!

 

[Phil Coggan]

Here's a very old Italian designed adjustable graver handle, the adjustment is fully out and the graver itself is just 20mm.

Phil

 

[Brian Hochstrat]

This is what I have used for about a decade now, short and slim, very similar to Phil's

 

[monk]

While the handle appears to be nicely crafted, it seems to be counter intuitive, to me. I use the airgravers, I find their diminutive size to be a plus, and if they were to alter the size I would want them to be even shorter! Not even one time have I ever wished they were longer!

you may be correct, but doing things this way has worked well for me. i have gravers that are too long , and some too short, as well as a host of "tweeners". i no longer push with gravers in the air assist way.

 

[monk]

phil: that's a dandy lookin holder. i'm envious !

 

[Phil Coggan]

I've had it since 1984 the beauty is that a standard graver blank can be used and it can be adjusted as the graver gets shorter. The other good thing about it is it's streamline shape, it doesn't get in the way of the work.

Phil

 

[JeffLiles]

Hi Brian,
This one looks like it has a few more parts to make than just swapping handles on a Lindsay, but I am very interested in its parts. It looks like I'll need to spin some brass rod to make the "finger saver", then what's the first steel thing after that? It looks like just some kind of spacer. It would be cool if you could show a pic disassembled a little bit please. Thank you very much.
-Jeff

 

[Phil Coggan]

Here's my streamlined one if you want a go at making it, I have used it on 95% of my scenes and leaf shading.

Phil

 

[JJ Roberts]

Here are the hand push tools that I modified. Two of the hand push tools I inserted a Lindsay extender which I used when the chisel got too short,the two on the right. J.J.

 

[Martin Strolz]

Phil explained it very well.
Here is a comparison, my push gravers are 4 inches, powered tools can be little bit longer. This is about the possible maximum. The handle of the powered tool has almost exact the measurements of my way older push tools.

 

[Brian Hochstrat]

Mine is just an upgraded version of a pin vise you can buy for a few bucks. Nothing complex, but it works for me.

https://www.riogrande.com/search?q=wood+graver+handle+with+chuck&c=&t=1&pageSize=32


the chuck is soldered in so it won't spin and change the alignment of how you hold it, when you remove, replace,adjust the graver

 

[JeffLiles]

Thanks to all. These are wonderful ideas. I would also like to see a close up of JJ Roberts piece on the far right, center of his photo. It looks like it is sitting more secure than I have mine. Mine is just in the raw wood. I think Steve Lindsay's piece is a solid fastening chuck for hand engraving, plus easy to change cutters, and I hope that yet a few more who have adapted his piece will chime in and show theirs off still.

Mr. Brian Hochstrat, I have clicked on your link to the Rio Grande base tools, and the prices look right. I could buy a couple of these and modify them to suit and wouldn't have too much money in it. As you have well demonstrated, this option allows you to use about 75% of the graver's material. Probably the most efficient with graver consumption. It looks like that little stub piece might be a challenge to sharpen, however. Buyer beware! All 4 models from Rio Grande look like they were made with various quality skill and steel grades. Judging from the review on Rio Grande's site, I think they might have just 2 "working" models for 3/32" gravers. My guess, but did you select the one made in France, Item #112042 ? The $10.65 model?

I can see we have 2 types of styles for preference in shape. I am more of a pear, and you are more of a mushroom. I think that the more gradual contours of the elongated pear support more of my hand. That's important with arthritis in my case.

I agree with everyone on length. Mine is too long to have control. Before I apply a finish coat of poly, I intend to knock off about .25 inch at a time, experimenting with length until I can control it. I might even try drilling the Lindsay "chuck" about 3/8" deeper. I don't know if the stainless would be too hard for the bits I have in that size range. Might be a good way to break off a bit and ruin the whole thing. !!

Tira Mitchell sells a handle on her website "Engraver" that has an adjustable length, which lengthens/shortens by turning a screw embedded in the handle. Very clever. It sells for $65. Very expensive--most expensive among the manual handles, actually. So one better like the shape, just sayin.

I very much like the smoothness of the wood in the Italian handle, Phil. Somebody knew what they were doing. It makes me want to reach into the picture and try yours. Great stuff. Thanks very much.