Small gravers and big hands

[Ozgraver]

I don't know about US glove sizes, but my hands are a tight fit in size 10 gloves which are the largest in my local vernacular.

I'm finding my hand begins hurting in a very short time because of the way I'm scrunching it up in order to keep my fingers back from the graver tip. I'm using push gravers at present with the longest mushroom handles I could find.

Has anyone else got Big Hand Syndrome and how do you cope or get around the problem?

 

[KCSteve]

I've also got large hands, but my fingers are a bit short for my hands (your longest finger should be about the same length as your palm).

I use a GraverMach SC so my gravers are in QC collets. I've got both a Magnum and a Monarch handpiece and I'm not having any problem with either.

When I make my gravers from the Glensteel blanks I wind up with about 1" trimmed off. I just did an experiment (successful for once) in using those leftovers. I'm too cheap to through out something as useful as 1" of high-quality graver blank even if I can't use them.

There's a thread about "John B's Clever Little Gravers" talking about setting 1/16" drill rod in square brass tubing. I got some 1/8" square tubing the graver bits just fit into, and some brass rod that fits in as well. I measured my favorite graver and cut rod and tubing so I'd come out to that length with about 1/4" of the graver blank inside the tube. I just used Gorilla Glue to hold things together. After my first test I'm going to use just a 1" piece of tubing to hold things together on future ones - the tubing's too big to fit into the QC holder so rather than grind it down / off I just won't cover that part of the rod on future ones - I'll just grind a flat on the rod.

My point, what little there is of one, is that you might want to do something similar (if you can) to make your gravers the length you need.

 

[Ozgraver]

I missed John B's thread. Good thinking!

I think I'll have a go at glueing a short piece of a 3/32" HHS square graver into a length of steel brake line and then stick that into my wooden handle. I can keep shortening the handle end of the piece of brake line until I get the most comfortable length.

 

[Unkl Ian]

How about making longer wooden handles ?

Shouldn't bee too hard to find some small pieces of hardwood.

 

[Ozgraver]

How about making longer wooden handles ?

Shouldn't bee too hard to find some small pieces of hardwood.

That's another option thanks, although I don't have a lathe. When I bought my gravers, I ordered a bag full of the long mushroom handles, so it would seem wasteful not to use them.

I appreciate all the latteral thinking.

 

[cowboy_silversmith]

Oz~ I push engrave as well. In lieu of gloves I use rubber finger cots on my index finger and thumb. I purchase these from Gesswein at $3.50 per dozen.

Best regards,
Greg Pauline

 

[Ozgraver]

Oz~ I push engrave as well. In lieu of gloves I use rubber finger cots on my index finger and thumb. I purchase these from Gesswein at $3.50 per dozen.

Best regards,
Greg Pauline

Another good tip! Thanks!

 

[Roger Bleile]

Oz,

3 3/4" long graver handles. 91 cents US each: http://www.contenti.com/products/engraving-tools/270-303.html

 

[Ozgraver]

Oz,

3 3/4" long graver handles. 91 cents US each: http://www.contenti.com/products/engraving-tools/270-303.html

Those are exactly the ones I bought (except when they arrived they didn't have the flat area), but thanks anyway!

I'd just like to point out that this morning I received a full refund from Contenti for the bag of misidentified handles they sent me. Can't ask fairer than that!

 

[rodstan]

Oz,
Try plastic tubing that slip fits over the length of the graver down to the working tip.Takes the bite out of the sharp edges.I use thumb and index finger up near the tip with firm control & not the grip of death! Engraving force is applied by the vice rotation and resistance by the engraving hand.Since the graver is held steady the force goes directly to the palm and not so much on the fingers.---My interpretation any way,please feel free to disagree!
All of my gravers are about 4 inches in length including the pneumatics and I have a large hand (long fingers).If the graver edges don't bite you stay more relaxed and the engraving lines improve.
Regards
Rod
Adelaide

 

[John B.]

Oz.
Just fit your gravers into a piece of copper or brass tubing or even a piece of wooden dowel.
Drill out one of your mushroom handle heads to fit and you are good to go.
Best, John B.

 

[Ozgraver]

Thanks everyone for the great tips!

 

[Jim Sackett]

push gravers & handles

Hi Oz

I purchased a bag full of patented adjustable graver handles, as you shorten the length of the graver from sharpening, it can be moved out a notch so the tip is always the same distance from palm of the hand.

The palm of the hand is for power, the fingers are for control.

Jim Sackett
letterguy

 

[Ozgraver]

Hi Oz

I purchased a bag full of patented adjustable graver handles, as you shorten the length of the graver from sharpening, it can be moved out a notch so the tip is always the same distance from palm of the hand.

Jim Sackett
letterguy

Interesting. Do you have a link to these handles please?

 

[Lee]

This may not look pretty but...........you might take some thermolok and stick it to the handle to make it the right size and shape. I have customized a few things to fit my hands with it. If you can come up with the the right length handle you will not have to redo every graver from now until you die.

 

[Ozgraver]

Another excellent idea! Thanks.

 

[monk]

SLIP POLYETHYLENE OR SURGICAL RUBBER TUBING OVER THE GRAVER BACK. THERE'S MANY WAys TO ADD TO THE LENGTH OF THE GRAVER HANDLE:: drill small holes in the back for an anchor add epoxy, wood putty, jet sett, etc. while the gunk is still un cured, you can reshape to the feel you want. the bottoms, just flatten to suit with a wood rasp.

 

[monk]

That's another option thanks, although I don't have a lathe. When I bought my gravers, I ordered a bag full of the long mushroom handles, so it would seem wasteful not to use them.

I appreciate all the latteral thinking.

some craft stores have round and egg shaped hardwood things that might be adapted to your needs. a little woodrasp and chainsaw work may be required, but you can never expect to do good work if you're not comfortable. the work's tough enough to learn without adding fatigue, discomfort, and cramps into the mix !