Andrew Biggs
Moderator
I've also wondered if the depth of cut makes a difference to the pressure on the graver tip. For some reason I cut quite deep with the main cuts and always have done. Looking at all the work on show at Reno there is quite a difference in the depth of cuts from engraver to engraver. Some of the work is quite shallow when examined closely.
I've had exactly the same problems with carbides that Mark describes and have reverted back to Glensteel for just about everything. In saying that some people have a really good trot out of the carbides, I'm just not one of them.They seem to be temperamental little beasties that require everything to be perfect. The amount of mucking around shaping, sharpening and polishing just doesn't seem to justify the extra cutting time that you get from them. And if you have a dud one, or more, it wastes even more time.Plus the gravers wear down a lot quicker because when they break, they break big time. Even the carbide undercutting tool for gold inlay seems to break far more quickly.
Of course all that depends on what metal you are cutting as well as there's a big difference between gold and stainless. But I still find that the carbides break easily in brass!!! So it maybe just my technique..........or lack of it
The only exception to this is the carbide graver I use on the watch rotors which seems to be the only thing that will touch them. But the graver shape seems to make a major difference. I have no idea why that is, but it does.
With Glensteel the tips do break but more often than not they simply get blunt (self dubbing???) which means with main cuts you can still keep cutting but of course that doesn't work quite so well with shading cuts. Also once the graver tip breaks then it has to be sharpened or it's good for nothing.....and yes, they have to be sharpened regularly, but it is quick and efficient and doesn't have to be exacting.......... but that is just part of the job.
Well, that's my theory for the day
Cheers
Andrew
I've had exactly the same problems with carbides that Mark describes and have reverted back to Glensteel for just about everything. In saying that some people have a really good trot out of the carbides, I'm just not one of them.They seem to be temperamental little beasties that require everything to be perfect. The amount of mucking around shaping, sharpening and polishing just doesn't seem to justify the extra cutting time that you get from them. And if you have a dud one, or more, it wastes even more time.Plus the gravers wear down a lot quicker because when they break, they break big time. Even the carbide undercutting tool for gold inlay seems to break far more quickly.
Of course all that depends on what metal you are cutting as well as there's a big difference between gold and stainless. But I still find that the carbides break easily in brass!!! So it maybe just my technique..........or lack of it
The only exception to this is the carbide graver I use on the watch rotors which seems to be the only thing that will touch them. But the graver shape seems to make a major difference. I have no idea why that is, but it does.
With Glensteel the tips do break but more often than not they simply get blunt (self dubbing???) which means with main cuts you can still keep cutting but of course that doesn't work quite so well with shading cuts. Also once the graver tip breaks then it has to be sharpened or it's good for nothing.....and yes, they have to be sharpened regularly, but it is quick and efficient and doesn't have to be exacting.......... but that is just part of the job.
Well, that's my theory for the day
Cheers
Andrew