I am having trouble under my scope with "standard" size tools. My question is this: On a square graver blank 120degree etc. are you you guys reduceing the size of the square blank before shaping and sharpening?
griff, John B came up with a graver made from a cobalt drill bits 1/16 inserted in a square brass tubing 3/32 for indexing when sharping on power hone,you can sharpen any geometry needed. J.J.
If you are using square gravers and Lindsay templates, its simply a matter of grinding with the first shaping template till you have a small point. Sharpen from that. UsIng other methods, just taper your graver down to the size you desire before sharpening. I keep about 3 different sizes on the bench. From 1/2mm up to 2mm faces on my gravers. Gotta have the right tool for the job!
Layne Z.
griff silver: GRS makes round gravers that are .071 thousandths of an inch. They fit quick change tool holders made for them. They are easier to sharpen because they are already small to begin with. Or i have taken used carbide burrs and sharpened them into gravers, as they are tapered toward the ball on the end. I also have a 100 grit diamond wheel for roughing out gravers, then finish with the higher grits, then a ceramic wheel, then a cast iron lap.
using the "jb trick" works. i've done similar gravers using common, discarded dental drills, the fg series are.062 in diameter. i have one that has the 8 facets, and is only .2mm wide. it is a flat i made for hobo work. one has to rethink when doing one this small, as only tiny amounts of down pressure are needed to get the results one seeks. also remember to place a length (to suit) of .062 copper wire in the rear end to prevent crushing the brass tube. i don't know the hardness of this tool, but is just right for working on stuff as soft as a hobo.
There are no standard tool sizes...........they are just blanks ready for you to shape.
There is a direct correlation between the size of the tool and the work you are doing. Big western cuts need large tool faces. Small delicate work needs small delicate faces.
Just grind away and shape the gravers till you are happy with the end result.
As the others have said, if you're using the Lindsay template just keep grinding on the 'shaping' template until you get down to the size you want.
Using the GRS dual angle I grind two of the sides back to make my main angle at about 2.5 degrees and grind the top back at 45 degrees (to keep the top's original 90 degrees) at a 5 degree tilt so it tapers faster. Once I get the size I want I do my face and heels.