Can I buy blank GRS gravers, put them in a Lindsey sharpening template and shape them myself?

[terrapinstation]

Hello all! I am getting close on pulling the trigger on gravers and supplies as I want to begin to learn how to hand engrave. This may be a dumb question, but instead of buying preshaped gravers and trying to make sure I have the correct plates to sharpen them, is there any reason or disadvantage to buying graver blanks and shaping them using various Lindsey sharpening templates? Would this give a beginner a good place to start?

Thanks all!

 

[allan621]

That should work. The Lindsay templates can hold any normal square graver. But there are quite a few requests for sharpening advice. Sharpening can be confusing for a beginner. Seems simple but a lot of times it can be confusing. Sam Alfano has a great beginners sharpening dvd/instant download sharpening guide. Its not free but for 50 dollars instant download it's worth it Gives you a knowledgeable place to start.


One more great thing about this video. Sam shows how to sharpen quite a few of different types of graver shapes. Most of the work seen on this site is scroll design which only needs a square graver cut in different dimensions. But in jewelry engraving I use square, flat, liners, rounds and on occasion bulino. You can start out with the square graver but over time you may need to use a flat graver for inside ring engraving, liners for florentine work and lettering, rounds for general lettering when you need a wider single line engraved, and the occasional bulino for some decorative engraving. Its worth knowing how to sharpen these just in case.

BTW terrapinstation? Do you live in Maryland?

 

[terrapinstation]

That should work. The Lindsay templates can hold any normal square graver. But there are quite a few requests for sharpening advice. Sharpening can be confusing for a beginner. Seems simple but a lot of times it can be confusing. Sam Alfano has a great beginners sharpening dvd/instant download sharpening guide. Its not free but for 50 dollars instant download it's worth it Gives you a knowledgeable place to start.


One more great thing about this video. Sam shows how to sharpen quite a few of different types of graver shapes. Most of the work seen on this site is scroll design which only needs a square graver cut in different dimensions. But in jewelry engraving I use square, flat, liners, rounds and on occasion bulino. You can start out with the square graver but over time you may need to use a flat graver for inside ring engraving, liners for florentine work and lettering, rounds for general lettering when you need a wider single line engraved, and the occasional bulino for some decorative engraving. Its worth knowing how to sharpen these just in case.

BTW terrapinstation? Do you live in Maryland?

heard that! Do you know if round gravers work in the Lindsey sharpening plates? Alternatively, how do I know when to use a round blank vs when to use a square blank?

sorry for all the questions but do you think that these four plates would be a good place to start?

"Sharpener set with four basic templates
Includes: Sharpener with fixture and all four diamond bench stones (260, 600, 1200, 2000), plus 4 templates: universal ™ 116 degree, Detailing, 105, and Flat & Knife Combo."

thank you so much! and no - I'm from Richmond, VA! Terrapin Station is a Grateful Dead reference !

 

[terrapinstation]

That should work. The Lindsay templates can hold any normal square graver. But there are quite a few requests for sharpening advice. Sharpening can be confusing for a beginner. Seems simple but a lot of times it can be confusing. Sam Alfano has a great beginners sharpening dvd/instant download sharpening guide. Its not free but for 50 dollars instant download it's worth it Gives you a knowledgeable place to start.


One more great thing about this video. Sam shows how to sharpen quite a few of different types of graver shapes. Most of the work seen on this site is scroll design which only needs a square graver cut in different dimensions. But in jewelry engraving I use square, flat, liners, rounds and on occasion bulino. You can start out with the square graver but over time you may need to use a flat graver for inside ring engraving, liners for florentine work and lettering, rounds for general lettering when you need a wider single line engraved, and the occasional bulino for some decorative engraving. Its worth knowing how to sharpen these just in case.

BTW terrapinstation? Do you live in Maryland?

and I will absolutely check out that video! thank you!

 

[dhall]

More of a challenge to use a round graver blank in the Lindsay system. It doesn't not work the first time, but resharpening is a challenge since indexing the round in the exact same position is not easy. Some will grind a flat on the round first so an Allen screw can snug up the blank in the same orientation. I believe there's also a collet that can hold a round graver for the Lindsay system, though not positive about this. The square graver blank automatically indexes back into the same position every time. As a beginner, there's no real need for a round graver blank. Your larger challenge will be practicing drawing and coming up with suitable designs to engrave. As previously encouraged, start with a square graver and add more shapes/sizes once you get your feet wet.

Best regards,
Doug

 

[terrapinstation]

More of a challenge to use a round graver blank in the Lindsay system. It doesn't not work the first time, but resharpening is a challenge since indexing the round in the exact same position is not easy. Some will grind a flat on the round first so an Allen screw can snug up the blank in the same orientation. I believe there's also a collet that can hold a round graver for the Lindsay system, though not positive about this. The square graver blank automatically indexes back into the same position every time. As a beginner, there's no real need for a round graver blank. Your larger challenge will be practicing drawing and coming up with suitable designs to engrave. As previously encouraged, start with a square graver and add more shapes/sizes once you get your feet wet.

Best regards,
Doug

aweosme thanks so much for the advice! Hopefully the differnt shapes // applications make more and more sense as time goes on. thanks for everything!

 

[fitzo]

..... - I'm from Richmond, VA! Terrapin Station is a Grateful Dead reference !

Best version of Dancing In the Streets evah!

 

[mtlctr]

Hello all! I am getting close on pulling the trigger on gravers and supplies as I want to begin to learn how to hand engrave. This may be a dumb question, but instead of buying preshaped gravers and trying to make sure I have the correct plates to sharpen them, is there any reason or disadvantage to buying graver blanks and shaping them using various Lindsey sharpening templates? Would this give a beginner a good place to start?

Thanks all!

Rough the face out approximately to the angle you want. That’ll save the bench stones from unnecessary wear. You can get by easily without the lindsey templates. A drill or piece of round stock approximately will work for putting on the heel angles. Check the heel with a 10x loupe to make sure it is running straight. For starters you won’t need a super fine stone for the heels a fine India stone of quality, ( no Chinese ) . You can buy 3/32” square blanks or 1/8 ” x 2 1/2” hss or 5% cobalt blanks lathe tools. I’ve used this method 30 yrs. It does require some practice but is totally doable .
call me if you want.
kent

 

[terrapinstation]

Best version of Dancing In the Streets evah!

Rough the face out approximately to the angle you want. That’ll save the bench stones from unnecessary wear. You can get by easily without the lindsey templates. A drill or piece of round stock approximately will work for putting on the heel angles. Check the heel with a 10x loupe to make sure it is running straight. For starters you won’t need a super fine stone for the heels a fine India stone of quality, ( no Chinese ) . You can buy 3/32” square blanks or 1/8 ” x 2 1/2” hss or 5% cobalt blanks lathe tools. I’ve used this method 30 yrs. It does require some practice but is totally doable .
call me if you want.
kent

thank you so much!! Very much apprecIfed. Are there any advantages to the lindsey plates?

 

[DaveAtWeirs]

heard that! Do you know if round gravers work in the Lindsey sharpening plates? Alternatively, how do I know when to use a round blank vs when to use a square blank?

sorry for all the questions but do you think that these four plates would be a good place to start?

"Sharpener set with four basic templates
Includes: Sharpener with fixture and all four diamond bench stones (260, 600, 1200, 2000), plus 4 templates: universal ™ 116 degree, Detailing, 105, and Flat & Knife Combo."

thank you so much! and no - I'm from Richmond, VA! Terrapin Station is a Grateful Dead reference !

You can use round blanks in the lindsay templates if you file a flat into the back portion of it so that the screw presses the flat down. I used to do that when I was starting and only had old carbide tipped burrs. It isn't perfect but it lets you mostly get it lined up for repeat sharpening. you can also get square HHS blanks that are intended for hand push engraving, they work pretty well too.

I'd absolutely recommend getting the Lindsay sharpening stone set no matter what. I tried to go the cheaper route with getting diamond discs from china but it's not worth the few bob you save in money when you have to set up heights and what not every time. the convience of just taking out the sharpening stone and using it is worth the little bit extra.
The 116 universal template is an all round safe bet, as is the flat and knife combo. With those two you can do a hell of a lot and could probably get away without having to buy any other templates for a long long time.

I mostly do jewellery engraving and some inlay and found that my most used templates, in order, are the 123 calligraphy, high angle 96 (for inside rings), the 96 (for very small engraving where the 123 would be too wide), and the flat for background removal and inlay. I could easily just use a 116 for the majority of the work that the 123 and 96 do, there's slight differences in how the light plays across them but mostly it's personal preference.

 

[tdelewis]

Before I sharpen any round graver, I grind a flat area on the shank. The set screw is put down on the flat area to keep the graver firmly in place. That keeps in the right orientation for the nest needed sharpening.

 

[Mike576]

If you want to use round blanks on the Lindsay templates he charges 25$ to modify a standard graver fixture to hold round gravers (the metal part that holds the gravers in the templates)

I use almost exclusively round gravers because they are significantly cheaper. I had a buddy of mine grind a flat spot down part of the length so there is an easily indexable area on the graver.