polishing heels

[mitch]

glad to be of assistance.

 

[mitch]

One other thing: If you're using a flat graver, don't forget to polish the sides back a bit from the face.

 

[Johny Weyerts]

Trying my darnedest to get my gravers sharp for western bright cut. Using a powerhone up to 1200gt. I think I am not understanding how polished the heels need to be and I have seen that some suggest "rolling" the heel. Trying a 45d face and 15d heel. Examining them under a loop...they look sharp, but don't seem to glide as I work.....any help from anyone would be appreciated.
Also have purchased disposable disc in 3000/5000/10000 grit.
Also after polishing the heel to a mirror finish, the graver seems dull.

Just a novice here, so be gentle!

 

[Johny Weyerts]

Dear Mr. Collins, The following should work for you. First sharpen a "Glensteel" flat graver at the angle you are comfortable using. ( I started using a momax cobalt #45 width and sharpened the face 45 degrees. the heel angle was 15 degrees. I later changed to 35 degrees for the face and 20 degrees for the heel. Jeremiah Watt was recommending 37and1/2 face, and
I believe 15 heel; so, any of these are fine). Work on the face first. After you get the face ground at a proper angle (use a 600 grit diamond wheel on your Power hone), glue a #1500 wet or dry paper on a blank disk wheel with rubber cement and polish ALL of the scratches out ! Then glue a sheet of 2500 paper onto another wheel and polish again. Now the face is done. Do not strop your graver with any other compound! Next turn the graver over and grind the heel 15 or 20 degrees no more than 1/32 using the 1500 paper wheel. Now set your graver fixture to that setting, loosen the screw and rock the graver down from 15 (or20) to 0 two times. Then rock it down again about 4 times using the 2500. You are establishing a rounded back to your heel. We call it a "radius" on the heel. If you purchase a "Sunshine cloth" from Rio Grande, you can strop your tool on it from time to time, but do not strop it on compound-treated leather or anything else! Good luck.