"graver overload"

[JOEYS CARVED ART]

First I want to thank everyone for all the help they have provided and a special thanks to Sam A. for starting this site. Some of the engraving problems that I have faced may have not gotten solved without it. Okay, when I first started engraving it was a little overwhelming when I looked at all the types and styles of gravers. Just to think that I had to eventually master all of them was going to be a real challenge. After a while I learned what they were all used for and all that. I eventually purchased loads of different styles and acquired a power hone and made many styles of my own, some not being so great. Now I have amassed a wide range of gravers. I primarily carve "hobo nickels" and lately I have been trying my hand at making jewelry. Although the items that I engrave are very dissimilar sometimes I find that 99% of the time I use the same 4 or 5 gravers. They get the job done very well but I constantly find myself looking at my assortment of gravers and feel that I have wasted my time and money somewhat because I neglect all my other gravers. Is this common? Do most of you use mainly the same 3 or 4 gravers for the majority of your work? Should I start using the various geometries that I have? I understand that there are times when a custom make or design must be used but for general engraving are you guys using the same gravers for your work? I would like to add that the gravers I se are mostly a 96 and 105 degree, and about 3 different sizes of flats and that is about it. Sorry for the long post. Thanks for your time and answers.
Joey

 

[Brian Marshall]

You are absolutely right...

While there are a LOT of gravers on my bench, and I can't give you a figure as to how many, there are that many - my engraving "career" went in stages. Each stage had different requirements. Different "styles" and a wide range of materials to be engraved. You never get bored and you are constantly learning.

For some years I did a lot of restoration and had to match exactly what was done in the early 1900's. quite a few different liners were used in some of the old hand lettering. And then you have the surfaces to deal with. That gets you into having 3 or 4 of the same 6/8 liner for example - because you need to cut on concave or convex surfaces as well as flat... straight gravers and bent gravers.

Then there are specialty gravers, "trick" gravers and the experimental gravers that you begin collecting. I have inside ring gravers that fit all three categories.

The materials that the gravers themselves are made of have also changed over the years. Carbon steel, to high speed steel (which does NOT make you engrave faster) to various modern day exotic carbide alloys.

I've found that like most other things that seem to get collected in life, you tend to keep them around, just in case... never know when you might need it. They don't eat or need much attention so why not?

You might suddenly have an overwhelming urge to go back in time and do one of those PITA jobs that you took in so that you could show off and say you did it....


At this point I do pretty much 90% lettering, monograms and logos. And I do most of that work with only 2 graver geometries. A flat and a "V". Makes life much much simpler. And because of the nature of the work I keep at least 6 of each geometry sharpened and ready to go. When they are all dull I sharpen the entire batch and start over. Saves a lot of time over sharpening just one at a time. Also tends to ensure that all have a uniform/identical point. You know exactly what to expect when you switch to a sharper one.

So, after 40+ years - I make a living with just those 2 gravers... but once in a while you do have to take a few minutes and at least pet the older ones that got you where you are today.

While you gently move them out of the way..... and reach for the Kryptonite ones.


Brian


Kinda like the dust bunnies under the bench or wire coathangers in a closet. Over the years they seem to breed in the dark - or maybe it happens when your back is turned?