Graver Selections.

webad2006

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Dec 17, 2006
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San Marcos,Tx.
Hello all,

I was looking to purchase some new gravers from GRS, but as a rookie I'm a little confused :confused:

Right now I'm using some old hand-me-downs, not sure what size or brand.

Will Glensteel's work for a hammer/chisel guy like me, or should I go another route? If so what type of handle can be used with this product?

Maybe some of you old pro's could chime in, and help me put together a mini shopping list of must have tools/sizes for starting a new colection of tools. I like western style, and traditional firearm styles as well. Any suggestions on reading/viewing material would be helpfull as well.
 

JJ Roberts

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Webad2006....Glensteel will work fine, another source for tools would be the Ngraver Co. in Conn...1-860-823-1533..Ray makes some great Belgium style holders for hammer and chisel work, also sells carbide & cobalt gravers blanks..he could be reached M-F 9-5. Welcome to the Forum..Good luck on your new adventure..Keep up posted with pictures.

Yours truly,
JJ Roberts
School of Artistic Engraving
Manassas, VA
www.angelfire.com/va2/engraver
 

smays

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Dec 22, 2006
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quick question since were on the subject of gravers... does the glensteel square gravers from GRS come pre sharpened with a heel?
 

Sam

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Some Glensteel gravers from GRS come preshaped with a 45º face, but no heel. I prefer the blanks so I can shape and sharpen myself, but the preshaped ones are ok.

webad: not sure what thermo-loc handles you're referring to, but once the material is softened, you can push any graver into it. For hammer & chisel engraving, you might be better off with a steel or wooden handle. I'd rather have my chisel (graver) anchored tightly in wood or steel for hammer & chisel work. Thermo-loc is a plastic material and is obviously not as solid as wood or steel. For hammer engraving you want to minimize bounce. I've not tried a Thermo-loc chisel handle, so this is a semi-educated guess on my part. Give it a try and tell us how it works.
 

KSnyder

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Webad, cant go wrong with the Belgium style handles from Ngraver they have set screws so the tool can come out for easier sharpening.I have tried wood but prefer steel handles.
Kent
 

Tom Curran

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For hammer and chisel, I like a steel or aluminum handle. If you go with aluminum, the diameter can be bigger, without making the handle too heavy. You can wrap the handle with friction tape or heat shrink tubing for a better grip.
 

Frank P

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Nov 15, 2006
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Switzerland
chisel

hi guys, hope this thumbnail get there..... it s one of my old chissels, from Belgium engraving school, that I transformed to one that hold the Quick Change gravers..works great for some applications, fine english fill up for example ...
 

SamW

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Though it might help to show a picture of the tools I use. This is pretty much the full complement of tools I use on a project. Any additional ones would be variations on the theme so to speak. The tools on the left are used in a pneumatic graver handle. Sam
 

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SamW

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You are welcome. Here is a short discription of the tools that might help some. From left to right:
square graver, 60 degree face and 7 degree heel...
scribe-point stippling tool...
small chisel for undercutting inlay cavities and cross cutting for wire inlay...
flat punch to set gold and do some rudimentary chasing (sculpting)...
(most use brass punch for this)
standard flat graver made from #1 knife graver to cut border inlay cavities...
scribe for VERY light drawing on steel, etc...
burnisher ( I polish the tip to a sharp edge and find this is a good scraper for small concave areas)...
scraper for general sculpting...
bulino tool made from square carbide graver, about 65 degree tool with 45 degree face and 7 degree
heel for added strength used for dot "stick and pick" shading...
dividers for many uses...
wide chisel for trimming gold...

S
 
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