Starting up

[fegarex]

Viljo,
Rarely do 2 engravers ever agree on anything but I will go along with Sam. The 901 would be best "all around" handpiece to go with. I personally use and like the Magnum but I if I had just one, I would have the 901.
A good sharpening fixture makes life a lot easier as well. As far as gravers, a few Glensteel square blanks will get you going well. You can build more as you go.

 

[vilts]

Oh boy, this complicates things again a bit. This offer for GraverMax SC and Magnum looked just so good with 10% discount.

But what if I bought this extra ultra fine spring for Magnum, would this give me a good all-rounder?

Then again, I just read 901 review from Sam and now I'm biased toward it...

Asking advice from forums is just like asking from elves - you don't get 'nay' and you don't get 'yea'

 

[monk]

all these folks are right: the tool doesn't matter so much as the person behind it who is willing to practice and push themselves to do a little better each time. on your blades, they would be nearly impossible to engrave after heat treating. the time to engrave is while they are in the annealed state. the blades can be acid etched after they are hardened, but that work is not considered to be engraving. acid etching usually doesn't produce the very fine results seen in hand engraving, but can render some very neat embelishing on sword blades.

 

[fegarex]

It's always a tough call to tell someone what might work best for them. I don't think there is a light spring for the Magnum however. The Magnum costs more but if you get a discount, it might not be a bad way to go. If you have small hands the Magnum may be a bit big as well. I have a larger hand and like it for that reason more than the power it has. Frankly, it will do shading about as well as anything too. The Monarch is just smaller and lighter and gives you a lighter "feel".
Hope this helps and doesn't confuse.

 

[vilts]

monk: Yes, I did know that engraving to heat-treated blade is impossible. My idea was to engrave other parts of knives and/or swords like handles, guards, buttcaps etc. To the blade I'll probably only electro etch company name.

fegarex:

I don't think there is a light spring for the Magnum however.

You're right, on GRS website I confused Magnum and Monarch, ultra fine spring was for Monarch. I believe I don't have very small hands, actually quite the opposite - I'm 6' 6" tall and hands are proportional to my body . My father will also use this engraver and he has even larger hands.

Here's actual link to OttoFrei shop where I wanted to buy this set: GraverMax SC and Magnum

Can anyone else share their opinions about 901 and Magnum handpieces for beginner with budget limit (with Magnum it'll be cheaper right now).

Thank you all for your kind replies.

 

[thekoabenchgoldsmith]

Aloha Vilts,
Have you contacted GRS directly about your needs?

Aaron has been especially helpful. I placed a rather large order as I am setting up a shop here in Seattle after shutting down several years back when I lived in Honolulu. I was very happy with the prices, this stuff doesnt really go on sale much, and I can't imagine they would have any difficulty shipping to you. Also, you won't get better information on their products than you get from them.

I have no knowledge of Lindsay equipment. I didn't even know there was a competitor to GRS until this thread. I used a Gravermeister when I was working in Honolulu and Loved it. I was using a Gravermeister when I was working in Honolulu and Hated it. There isn't any perfect tool. I have a nice guitar and about 100 books on learning to play the guitar but still can't get much past strumming a basic C-chord.

I know you can build most if not all of the equipment you need for engraving. And from the looks of the blade in your posting you probably have a lot of the equipment needed to do it. But the equipment from GRS is(are?) exceptional value(s?). I still remember when I received the ring holder. I thought from the pictures and the price (it seemed VERY reasonable) in their catalog that it would be some type of high-tech plastic. When UPS delivered it I was surprised by the package weight and wondered if the right item had been shipped. And when I opened it I marveled but sometime at its beauty. The finish the movement...it was a thing of exquisite beauty. And excellent value. What I have always liked about GRS is that the people there KNOW their equipment and at least in the case of Aaron, who has been helping me this time around, many of them are at least hobbyist engravers.

Aloha, and best of luck.
Robert Booth
The Koa Bench Goldsmith

 

[Ron Smith]

Let me put my two cents in here. The merits of any of these tools are not even noticable until you get up into very high end work. If you get a tool that can do average work, you won't even know the difference until you get more experience. Of course it would be wise to get one that will do everything, and they will all do that. I agree that it is not the tool, but the man behind the tool. I also would like to say that a sharpening device would speed up your progress considerably, and that to me would be more important than the type of tool you are using. Understanding tool geometry is critical to learning to cut, but you don't even have to understand it now with the sharpening devices available. You just follow instructions and go to cutting. Most of the flaws in your cutting will be because of your misperceptions or lack of experience. If you don't get that right, you will be struggling for years trying to figure out why and none of these tools will help you. You will adapt to whatever tool you start with, but as long as the tool is capable of the full spectrum of engraving and is durable, it doesn't matter who makes it. then it might just become a money issue. All of the tools discussed will do the job. You will learn to make it do what you command with practice. What you are doing is training your body to be sensative to microscopic motion by your sense of touch. You could do that with a ball peen hammer and a cement nail if you have the patience and that is really what it is all about anyway, Patience and practice. There is no easy way beyond the value of the pneumatic systems which take possibly years off of your cutting practice, but tool sharpening correctly is essential. Take that very seriously!!.... and that is my two cents on the subject............Ron S

 

[Aaron McMichael]

Hello Vilts, This Aaron McMichael form Glendo. I would be happy answer any questions you might have.

Best Regards,
Aaron McMchael

 

[lesholmes]

I am a complete amateur. I wonder if you have considered the machine from

http://www.ngraver.com/engrave.htm

It is much more portable than air powered machines.

Ask Sam about its capabilities.

I have seen really nice engraving by people using it. And here in the US it is less expensive than the air powered machines. However, I have bought all of my equipment from Aaron McMichael of Glendo, He is the best representative you could hope for.

Regards,

Lester Holmes

 

[vilts]

Seems that a rather old thread has been warmed up. Thank you guys for your help and input. Actually I went the GRS way few months ago and probably the biggest factor was cost (my father and I even built our own sharpening fixture and vise just to save money). Now that I have used it actively for about 3 weeks (1 week in engraving course and 2 weeks at home afterwards) I'm quite happy about it and the only 'reason' for not getting good results sits between chair and vise.

 

[chris]

viljo

hi viljo
while you save your money and decide which one - grab a piece of scrap steel a small hammer and chisel and go for it , go through the forums threads that will teach you how to sharpen, shade and so on
draw a line and try cutting it as close as you can treat it like the real thing
chris