Question: Thoughts on Apex sharpening syestem?

Brian Marshall

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Not having one in hand, what I see is that there appears to be no way to hold the full length hand pushed gravers...?

The older model dual angle which would hold and sharpen damn near anything you can fit in it - has been removed entirely? (Examples might be double bent inside ring gravers, doglegs, bent liners, etc.)

Being locked into purchasing collets might be another? As would the time it will take to completely remake gravers to fit those collets...


Brian


Other'n than those it looks like a useful bit of kit for someone who can work within the limitations. I would hope that someday there would be 110 & 115 geometries offered as well?
 

Toad

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As long as you use GRS QC Tool Holders. You should be good to go. It does lock you into the GRS system. I prefer the Dual Angle Sharpening Fixture because you can sharpen most anything with it. I do like the Lindsay sharpening templates as well.
 

Sam

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For long gravers not mounted in GRS QC collets, the classic Dual Angle is the one to use. For QC mounted gravers the Apex dials in 90, 105, and 120 gravers by swapping out different caps. You don’t have to know any numbers (like using templates or EasyGraver fixtures). Put the black cap on and you can dial in any geometry you want.

A classic Dual Angle fixture with QC adapter works reasonably well, but it’s got a much longer overhang. The Apex is more accurate and keeps gravers in close and is a nice upgrade.
 

Brian Marshall

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IS the dual angle still gonna be available? I did not see it...

It was the closest thing to a universal positional fixture on the market. Anyone who uses a very wide variety of "trick" gravers as well as hand pushed gravers in the old style wooden handles is still gonna need one - or something similar.

Certain gravers do not call for perfectly repeatable results because they are only used for one situation (maybe a coupla times a year) - but when you need one, it's like the parachute when you gotta jump out of the plane - nuthin' else will work!


Brian
 

fegarex

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To my knowledge the Dual Angle as well as the Quick Change and Standard sharpening fixture are being kept in the line. The Dual angle and Standard fixture will take traditional gravers as well gravers from other systems.
 

Memorymaker

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I used it in a GRS class. It is great for the specific gravers that it covers because it has the angles preset and you don't have to look up or memorize the settings. It seems faster because of that. I believe you can still do any other angles that are not covered too.
 

Sam

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In recent years GRS has moved to short, handpiece length, round shank gravers which mount in the QC holders, so the Apex is designed for those gravers. I wouldn't want to give up my classic Dual Angle, but now it's pretty much collecting dust unless I need to sharpen a long graver or chisel that's not mounted in a QC holder.

I sharpen 120s and 105s with the EasyGraver fixtures and flats and other gravers with the Apex. Life is good.
 

colinskelly

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I had a chance to use one at the GRS training center in August. I liked it but not enough to replace my dual angle fixture at Home. For the New shop at Greenlake Jewelry we are going with the Apex. My only comment to GRS was to add a 20 degree mark for the parallel heels on the point gravers. The one I used only had 15 indicated. Easily fixed by adjusting by the post angle but for easy, repeatable, consistent heels at a steeper angle would be nice.
 

Sam

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I had a chance to use one at the GRS training center in August. I liked it but not enough to replace my dual angle fixture at Home. For the New shop at Greenlake Jewelry we are going with the Apex. My only comment to GRS was to add a 20 degree mark for the parallel heels on the point gravers. The one I used only had 15 indicated. Easily fixed by adjusting by the post angle but for easy, repeatable, consistent heels at a steeper angle would be nice.

Colin: Brainstorming here...if you know the settings for a 20° lift you could dial them in using the black cap, then swap caps and put a scribe mark on say the red or green cap. Do that with heel and shape angles. I hope I'm making sense. A blank cap would be nice for this.
 

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