John Barraclough's very clever gravers

[JJ Roberts]

John..I have been meaning to get on here and compliment you on your mini chisels. When I got back from the blade show I sharpened the one you gave me, & found it to be very, very useful..especially, when doing fine shading. Also have made some up and have given them to my fellow engravers, and students. Keep those great ideas coming and keep up the good work. Your knowledge and wisdom is a treasure.

Yours truly,
JJ Roberts
School of Artistic Engraving
Manassas, VA

 

[Tom Curran]

John, I have been following this thread, just watching the ideas develop. Your brass tube idea is brilliant. Thanks for sharing.
Tom

 

[John B.]

JJ and Tom C.
Thank you gentlemen.
Sure appreciate your kind words.
John B.

 

[monk]

jb, sir, when you run for office- i'll vote for ya ! i finally got the little buggers sharpenned properly. the weight of the holder for one thing was a detriment to accuracy. i was just too heavy handed. these little guys are great. and thanks again to all who gave me advice on sharpening them.

 

[msar24]

Someone mentioned somehwere in this thread that loctitie might work. I had a bottle of Permatex thread locker - permanent strength and gave it a try. I cut a couple of very small grooves in the cobalt bit and cleaned it and the brass tube in acetone. 2 drops of the permatex and 5 minutes later and I can't get them apart. I put it in my vice and tried to pull them apart with a pliers and no go.

Another way to make John's Clever little Gravers!

The permatex can be found in most auto parts stores.

 

[Markofx]

Fagersta WKE45 Sweden .002

Hi Everyone,
I've been using this round stock which Fagersta stopped producing in this size years ago. It's 1/8 round and 2 1/2" long. I just go to my grinder and grind two angles at one end of the rod and that's it. It only fits one way in the sharpening fixture so lining up the graver for sharpening can be done in the dark. Anyway, I used to have the elements page but I can't find it. Here's the good part, this HSS will eat 300 series stainless for breakfast. I cut 304 stainless steel rings which I make from pipe stock. If anyone has a need to cut tough metal and would like one of these blanks, I have about 200 that I'll be selling for $ 5.00 a piece.
I'll grind the back end so all you have to shape the belly as you need.
I don't have to sell these, but I'll never use them in my lifetime. Let me know what you need and I'll send one out.
304 stainless!! this must be a joke........ NO!!!

Thanks, Mark

 

[jeness]

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I am new and only now found this topic I would like to make some m42 and carbide gravers with this method to start out, can I use these gravers for any kind of work? Are there any tasks where a 1/16 wide or a bit narrower face isn't enough? For shading and such I am sure it is enough, but maybe for some scrolls can it be too narrow?

I am asking because these gravers can be made cheap, and I would have to grind much less than the standard 3/32 square gravers. Less sharpening, more work.

 

[Yossi]

Hi guys,
Sorry for resuscitating this thread. Does anyone know of a cheap square (or rectangular) carbide blank? And are the tungsten welding electrodes worth a bash? The brass tube might not fit over them for the standard GRS quick change pieces. They are color coded for slight differences in the alloy, maybe one's better than the rest.

 

[atexascowboy2011]

"Centennial Carbide" has 3/32" carbide sticks in 12" lengths available at a very reasonable price.

 

[JJ Roberts]

John B's mini graver's are perfect for fine shading and for engraving fine detail for game scene's on guns animal's,birds & scenery,these graver's are what I use for my bulino dot. J.J.

 

[GTJC460]

I'd highly recommend the centennial carbide ultra micrograin drill rod. A Google search will reveal many suppliers for round HSS drill rod blanks in virtually any size you desire. I use GRS tools so the QC holders and the adapter for the QC holders for the dual angle fixtures make repeatable graver sharpening a non-issue.

 

[dlilazteca]

Read this in an old thread, been using it for a the last year or more, the best

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[Sinterklaas]

I have a quick question. Am I correct in saying that the brass rod is used to keep the drill-bit/graver centred in the QC?
So it gives you the ability to sharpen it consistently?

Or am I missing something?

Thanks in advance for answering.

 

[dlilazteca]

I have a quick question. Am I correct in saying that the brass rod is used to keep the drill-bit/graver centred in the QC?
So it gives you the ability to sharpen it consistently?

Or am I missing something?

Thanks in advance for answering.

Exactly the square tubing is 3/32 square, that is the size of graver blanks sold so it fits in the sharpening templates, although GRS doesn't need it because of the collets but it gives for a great reference point when reinserting it into the collet, allows you to get similar results over and over when sharpening

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[JJ Roberts]

John B's graver's can be sharpen in Lindsay's template's or GRS power hone,I like John's graver's they can be made in three different size's 1/16,5/64,or 3/36.The 1/16 must be soldered in the 3/32 tubing but the 5/64 and the 3/36th can be jammed in the 3/32 brass tubing after grinding the drill end down to fit,hope this is helpful. J.J.

 

[airamp]

Hi,

I make these using 1/16" round carbide. (from Ebay very cheap)/
go to ace hardware and get 3/32" stainless steel tube (it has about a 1/16 hole in it).

I cut the tubes to about 1.5 inch or so and then use red loctite or green bearing sealer (no solder to weaken the carbide) in the tube and on the 1/16 carbide.

I also add a little crimp with vice grips at the transition of the tube (crimp with the inside of the vice grip jaws slightly) to the carbide cutting end.

I then stick them into clay carbide up and let them cure 24 hours.

Should come out straight and solid at any length carbide.

When cured grind a flat on the tube for your graver setscrew and square off the insertion end of the graver.

Be sure that the carbide goes all the way through the tube so the impact is a solid hit on the carbide..

Sharpen to what ever angles you need and you are done..

I make 6 at a time and always have a few different lengths sharpened and blanks for when they are needed.

I have used these for a few years now and they are great I have made multiple shapes and V's angles of these tools.

This was a great help when they were first suggested years ago.

Thanks to John..

These make great little shading gravers and for those hard to reach areas...
AirAmp

 

[Sinterklaas]

dlilazteca, JJ Roberts and airamp,

thank you guys for the explanations. Now I get it!
I thought the brass tube was round but its square, now it makes sense.
Looking back to the first post by Sam it says indeed square tubing. It was late at night so I skimmed through it with one eye open.

Good to know that the loctite will hold, as I was planning on soldering.
Maybe soldering will work if you keep the carbide part thats sticking out underwater or in special heat resistant clay stuff that I use when soldering jewellery with stones.

Thanks again!

 

[tim halloran]

Sinterklaas: I use super glue

 

[dlilazteca]

Sinterklaas: I use super glue

I second the super glue, quick and effortless.

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[John B.]

The last batches I made up I used 1/16" X 2 inch length Cobalt drills from MCS. These have 3/4 inches of flutes which I install into the square brass tubing. On this batch I cleaned the inside of the brass with acetone to remove any oil from the brass and the drills and pushed the drill flutes clear through the brass, exposing them.
I coated the flutes with JB Weld for steel and retracted the flutes and goo back into the brass.
Getting old and lazy I guess and the JB Weld is quicker and easier than soldering.
My friends and I have not found a problem with the JB Weld. At least, no complaints so far.
Still a pretty nice little graver for under $2.00.
Best.
John B.