Lil help please

[Johnmarston]

What kind of graver to engrave grade 5 titanium. I’m new to this ( like an hour or so an evening for the past month. Eventually I’d like to be able to engrave titanium. Carbide, hss, or other. As a knife maker I have plenty of scraps. And like to give it a try sooner than later . Thanks in advance

 

[fitzo]

Carbide, Lindsay carbalt.

 

[oniemarc]

I use Lindsay carbalt also. With a slightly dubbed point for the deeper lines.
Thing to keep in mind is that the scraps cut better than "worked on" pieces. They tend to have some hard spots in them. Or at least that has been the case for me

 

[Johnmarston]

I use Lindsay carbalt also. With a slightly dubbed point for the deeper lines.
Thing to keep in mind is that the scraps cut better than "worked on" pieces. They tend to have some hard spots in them. Or at least that has been the case for me

Thank you . I know titanium work hardens. I have many broken taps to prove so. I actually looked into annealing but it’s a ridiculously complex process. I got a carbalt graver with my classic. I’ll try that. Carbide is definitely hard enough. , but from working with different tooling it can be chippy when it comes to titanium. Thanks again!

 

[Mike576]

Along with the tip other gave of using carbalt also use a steeper face angle. This along with dubbing the tip slightly makes it much stronger. Also use a cutting oil, just soak a regular sponge in oil and put it in an Altoids tin. Every once in a while dip the tip of your graver into the oil

 

[Johnmarston]

Along with the tip other gave of using carbalt also use a steeper face angle. This along with dubbing the tip slightly makes it much stronger. Also use a cutting oil, just soak a regular sponge in oil and put it in an Altoids tin. Every once in a while dip the tip of your graver into the oil

What kind of oil do you suggest. Reason for asking is I have Molly d and tap magic. I use both when drilling and tapping . Titanium is hard but when I drill it’s like sticky or gummy for lack of better word. What you say makes perfect sense. Also you your the second person about dubbing tip. Does that mean sharp but rounded slightly?

 

[AllenClapp]

You will find a variety of oils are used by engravers to help their cutting along. GRS sells a Tap Magic cutting oil made for cutting aluminum, along with a tin and sponge. That one works well in steel as well and it works great cutting prescious metals [it aids in getting bright cuts], but Tap Magic makes one specifically for steels and harder metals. I like that one better because it is less odorous. I keep tin cups around for various uses and cut out a thin sponge to fit one [tin cups are available from the Speciailty Bottle Company and from MiniPack.

 

[papart1]

Allen, I have only used wintergreen oil (as recommended by Uncle Mike Dubber) and I haven't found anything I can't cut............that is providing there is transfer visible

 

[AllenClapp]

Allen, I have only used wintergreen oil (as recommended by Uncle Mike Dubber) and I haven't found anything I can't cut............that is providing there is transfer visible

Wintergreen oil is a common oil that is preferred by many because it doesn't tend to stink up the shop like some cutting oils will do. It is instructive and interesting to Google its medicinal and toxicity properties.