Help, please: determining graver length (gravermeister)

[Vickie]

Hello,
After wandering through this forum for many weeks, and being amazed at the level of helpfulness and encouragement and the absolutely stunning work being presented.... I decided to get over my fear of looking like an idiot and just get on with asking my questions.

I have purchased a gravermeister and with it some old style handpieces (with the chucks) (Thanks again, Bill!). I went over to Sansom St in Philadelphia and got a few square gravers and an onglette. The onglette makes perfect sense in how it can be shortened by breaking off the tang.

For some reason, it just isn't working in my head for the squares... do I just clamp the "good" end in the vise and snap off the end? Really? They are crazy long... like maybe 5-6"... what to do about all the extra steel I'm breaking off?

Thank you in advance for not laughing too loudly....
Vickie

 

[Roger Bleile]

Vickie,

If they are 6", take a cut off wheel in a dremel or flex-shaft handpiece and score a line on the graver midway. Then put the graver in a vise with the score line at the top of the jaws and give it a whack with a hammer. It should break at the score and you have two three inch gravers. Wear safety glasses.

BTW, I used one of those old "Meisters" with the cylindrical handpieces for 30 years. I really liked the chuck.

CRB

 

[Vickie]

Roger,
Thank you very much for your advice.
I hope to have a tenth the success with the gravermeister as some others have enjoyed!
Regards,
Vickie

 

[CRW]

Vickie,
I also use a gravermeister and it works fine. I ungraded it to the GRS 915 hand piece and it is a lot easer for me to control. I am still a newbie, so I have a lot to learn.