Knife graver for cutting straight lines; do they need to be sharpened?

Joined
Apr 11, 2023
Messages
17
Hello,

My only goal is to cut bright lines into fine silver. 90% of my work is straight, thin, lines to get those shiny engravings. 10% is some minor curves. Basically, no deep cuts, only very fine cuts that are bright. Some curved, most straight.

Someone recommended that HSS knife gravers is good for straight lines and to avoid curves. They tip looks sharp as is. Do they need to be shaped? How do I shape a knife graver, if at all? Can't seem to find any information on my own.

My QC tool accepts 2mm tools and graver handle accepts 4.5mm QC. Basically my goal is to make straight, thin, bright lines in silver. Would appreciate any input.
 

tdelewis

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Joined
Oct 10, 2010
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752
Location
Volant, PA 60 miles north of Pittsburgh
Sharpen, then high polish on ,25 micron on diamond lap. My self I would not use a knife graver, if you want them to sparkle, I would think the line would need to have some width. I do bright cut engraving on belt buckles and bolos. I want to have bright lines cut with flat gravers. That is something different from what you are doing. Experiment on copper or scrap silver.
 

monk

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Feb 11, 2007
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10,857
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washington, pa
like td-- i have no use for knife gravers. just a personal choice. the knife graver must surely be sharpened. if the point gets a bit rounded, it wont cut but will skip all over. if the point breaks, it will dig in. either way leads to using bad language !!
 

mtlctr

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Jan 6, 2015
Messages
378
Location
NW Ohio
A 2mm square will cut a pretty small thin line & probably the best control. If you don’t put a heel on it , it’ll tend to dive in my experience, (any shape tool). I’ll join TD & Monk, no knife graver. A fine Onglette will cut very thin lines. You can polish on a succession of abrasive papers starting out at 500 grit. BTW, doubt ther is ANY graver or tool you don’t prepare in some way or other. You can see the heels on these. The photo with the crossed ones shows how the heel is achieved by rubbing the tool to be sharpened the long way guided by the blank. IMG_0900.jpeg IMG_0899.jpeg IMG_0898.jpeg
 
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