Question on the heel of a graver.

[Billzach]

This may be a question that is common knowledge and i feel like i should have asked this question 11 years ago when i first started carving coins, but do most of you use a heel on your hand push gravers?

 

[Steve Adams]

From a die engraver and sometime coin carver, mostly yes and sometimes no. Depends on the cut, depth, angle and how much metal I am removing. That probably doesn't answer your question very well, but most engravers use a heel regardless of how slight it may be. Seems to me you have done pretty well without advice on this. I think the gun, knife and jewelry engravers can probably chirp in on this one. I increase the heel if I have to cut at a steeper angle, naturally a low almost flush cut has harly any heel, rather a longer tapered heel. I don't chage the heel on a tool once I get one the way I like it, but I do build collections of tools that cut good. If I need something that cuts a little differently, then its time to make a new tool.

 

[Mike Cirelli]

Bill
Like Steve says the longer the heel (not the angle) the deeper the cut. A very short heel and a light touch will give you a very controllable light cut. A longer heel will cut deeper. You have to be careful not to cut deeper than your heel or it will dive in. I use a square graver with a 60 or 65 degree face with no heel when bead setting, because I want to use it like a little bulldozer and push up the metal and dig in without an undercut. If you look at the bulino graver Martin posted it has only lift and the whole belly is the heel because it's used for very short cuts and pecks.
Hope this helps I think I typed it understandable.
Mike

 

[Billzach]

I do use a heel on all my gravers i use in my monarch handpiece..