Engraved Rope Border - Tutorial

[JBrandvik]

In answer to the folks who have expressed interest in the rope border I used on the recently posted cuff bracelet, I put this brief tutorial together.

I learned this border treatment from Mike Dubber who did a demo of it at the 2009 FEGA show. Thanks, Mike.

I was too cheap to use silver for the tutorial. Instead I used brass, which doesn’t cut nearly as clean. This border is not easy to do on steel because you are going to be hogging out a lot of metal with each cut, but if you round over the edge ahead of time using a file or stone, it can be done on steel.

1. A wide flat with a polished belly/heel is needed. This graver is HSS and is about 2.5mm wide

2. Begin by scribing a border line which is about half the width of your graver. If you are right-handed, Start with the right-hand corner of your graver first and begin at a steep angle. (30 degrees or so)

3. Power into the cut smoothly and as you do roll the graver to the left (counter-clockwise) while simultaneously reducing the angle of attack to approx. 15 degrees. (Think ice-cream scoop.)

4. Continue to roll the graver to the left. Your graver should start on the horizontal surface, shear off the corner and end up cutting some off of the vertical surface.

5. Begin the next cut immediately ahead of the previous cut with the right-hand corner into the metal at your scribed line.

6. This is a side view of several successive cuts.

Some things to keep in mind;
Your graver should always point parallel to your scribed line. The effect is achieved only as a result of the rolling motion of the wrist in combination with the simultaneous change of the attack angle.

It requires some practice to achieve a consistent result, but once the muscle memory is obtained, this border is simple to do.

Try to roll your graver as far as you can reach to the left. This gives a more rounded “rope-like” appearance to the border.

Enjoy!

 

[John B.]

Jim, that's a great little tutorial and fine,clear photographs and text.
Thank you very much.

 

[Jane]

Thanks Jim,
I guess I have seen this before but never seen it taken clear to the edge or just off the edge of the piece. It looks great!

Thanks again!

 

[Jerry Spaulding]

Thanks Jim - Nice job on the bracelet. I'm glad you were paying attention in class and the rumor of you being in a Mexican prison was wrong.
Your friend,
JL Spaulding

 

[Patternweldor]

Hi Jim,

That's a very helpful tutorial, it looks great. I am anxious to give it a try.

Thanks for taking the time to show this!

Chris H.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Thanks very much for the tutorial Jim. Great photos and explanation!!

You make it look real easy

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Mike Dubber]

Rope Border Tool Design

Good tutorial Jim - but I did want to point out one major difference between your graver and the one I described at the FEGA Seminar.

The graver shown at the beginning of your Thread has a FLAT BOTTOM. A flat bottom graver will not allow you to cut smoothly through the wrist turm. It will fight against any effort you make to roll it smoothly through the cut...the result will be a rippled or chipped cut...as seen in your example.

If you CURVE the bottom as shown in this photo and the accompanying diagram, the cut will be butter smooth without the chipping effect.

I roll the bottom of my flat by placing the graver in the GRS Dual Angle Fixture, leaving the post screw loose, and raising and lowering the fixture from 0 to 15 degrees against the wheel to create a gracefully curved bottom. I finish it to a mirror polish on the ceramic wheel.

Face Angle: for soft metal like this piece of brass I use 35 degrees. Think about it this way - since you have essentially changed the bottom of the graver from 0 to 15 degress already, you need to lay the face angle back to accomodate, right?

If the flat graver is ground this way, the cutting angle allows adequate relief to enter and exit the cut smoothly as you do the wrist roll.:yes

And...I use the same curved bottom flat to do all my bright cuts - SMOOTH - NO CHATTER!

 

[sam]

Thanks Jim & Mike for your great photos and explanations.

I would add that I think it's important to cut a fairly deep border line before doing the rope cuts. It gives the corner of the flat graver something to ride in as it begins its cut. I confess that I've not tried it without doing a border first so I'm going on a semi-educated hunch.

~Sam

 

[Mike Dubber]

Thanks Jim & Mike for your great photos and explanations.

I would add that I think it's important to cut a fairly deep border line before doing the rope cuts. It gives the corner of the flat graver something to ride in as it begins its cut. I confess that I've not tried it without doing a border first so I'm going on a semi-educated hunch.

~Sam

Good point Sam - I meant say that but I got so involved in the "graceful curve" explanation! I see that Jim used a simple scribed line to align and start his graver cut. You need a good starting place, and cutting a (reasonably) deep base line sets you up for the "graver bite" needed to start this rope cut. The overall effect is a cleaner border.

Mike

 

[JBrandvik]

Excellent points Mike and Sam. Thanks for jumping in with these valuable tips and excellent photos.

Mike, I found my old notes from your demo and I had made note of the curved belly, but somewhere along the line, I missed actually using it. I will be adopting it and looking forward to less chatter.

One last note: I tend to make my rope borders more "tightly-wound' than those Mike shows in his photos. I do this because think it provides more points of reflection for the light to bounce off of the rope. But the main reason is I think it is more forgiving. (Little variations and foibles are not as evident.) Perhaps if I had Mike's skill, I would favor a more open rope.

Anyway, I hope everyone gives this border a try and enjoys it.

Best,

 

[fegarex]

I might mention a part of all this is "rhythm" as well. Years ago Mike showed me how to do this and I can do a border but it nevers looks as good as Mike's. How you roll the tool and when is all part of making it look good. I'm sure Mike doesn't have any problems but I always need to do several test runs first.

 

[MR.GARCIA]

Would anyone have a link to a video that shows how to make these cuts. I am very interested in learning how.

 

[Christian DeCamillis]

Mr. Garcia,

Here you go http://www.engraversstudio.com/apps/videos/videos/show/13991221-cutting-a-rope-border

Chris

 

[Brian Marshall]

I guess Vic taught me backwards...?

I cut the other direction. I can always SEE what I just cut.

You guys all cover up the cut you just made!

Dunno how you can keep the cuts the same length when you can't see 'em?


Brian


No, I'm not gonna learn to do it your way - Victor was always right. Used to say so himself...

 

[dlilazteca]

Mr. Garcia,

welcome to the forum! Glad your making use of the search button.

Saludos,

Carlos

 

[Christian DeCamillis]

Brian,

It's just the way I was shown. I guess it's more about the rhythm of the cut than visual. Your way makes a lot of sense . I will give it a try. I have a bracelet to do it will be a good time to give it a go.

Chris

 

[Brian Marshall]

Mike Dubber and a half dozen others cover the cut they just made....

I am in the minority, not you Chris.


B.