Any engravers?

[ps_bond]

Really, per the title... Are there any hand engravers on here yet? Or anyone else who uses gravers in their work, either for ornamentation or simply as a tool?

I know Bigwol has a good assortment to the left of his bench - I'm guessing for setting work primarily?

[Bigwol]

Yes - The gravers on my bench are all for stone setting, and range from 0.2mm to 2.4mm wide in flat and the same in round , plus a spitstick (very thin v section) and bullstick plus several miscellaneaous burnishing and pushing tools to move the metal around

But for engraving names etc - I still use an electric hammer - a bit crude but I'm not an engraver - They are really skilled and have special engraving ball and clamps to hold their work, some of their work is awesome.

These are the tools I have stabbed myself with more than any other - (you get used to it), sucking the wound and swearing helps dull the pain . . you are more careful for a day or so afterwards!

Complete (ish) list is as follows - price today - about £10 each, and they all come without handles and are supplied in a length which is just too short to make two gravers out of (dammit!) - but too long for one (you tailor the length to your own hand size). But once you have ground them down to length and put your handles on they fit you perfectly.

No 2 0.2mm Flat
No 4 0.4mm Flat
No 6 0.6mm Flat
No 8 0.8mm Flat
No 12 1.2mm Flat
No 24 2.4mm Flat
No 24 2.4mm Flat HSS
No 2 0.2mm Round Edge
No 4 0.4mm Round Edge
No 6 0.6mm Round Edge
No 8 0.8mm Round Edge
No 12 1.2mm Round Edge
No 24 2.4mm Round Edge
No 17 1.7mm Bullstick
1.16mm 1.16mm Spitstick
3mm 3.0mm Square
3mm 3.0mm Lozenge
Square Pusher
Round Pusher
Steel Burnisher
Needle point Burnisher
Graining Tool
Collet pusher

[ps_bond]

These are the tools I have stabbed myself with more than any other - (you get used to it), sucking the wound and swearing helps dull the pain . . you are more careful for a day or so afterwards!

Oh yes... During the course I did, we ended up sticking ourselves more than a few times. I managed to stick a 2.5mm square through my finger - utter stupidity, I was tired and forced the tool and my finger was in the way.

It's been a long while since I last poked myself with one though.

Thankfully.

I'm not listing what I've got - there's far too many of them, and a lot are a) unhandled and b) never likely to be used! I use squares more than the others, although I'm coming round to a preference for round for raising beads - they seem to give a nicer finish.

[ps_bond]

So that's it for the graver users then? Just the two of us (and Nic once she's been on her pilgrimage)...

[Charlotte]

I'm afraid I take my stuff down to the shop if I want engraving done. It was a total nightmare last time, I was doing a commission and wanted a few words on the inside of the bangle and the engraver kept making my life very stressful. Would love to learn how to do it myself, I hate relying on others for my work! I have no idea what's involved in engraving though

[MuranoSilver]

I'll be starting my Pilgrimage this weekend
Nic x

[bob flemming]

Please can you tell me more about grinding them down? I want to do some channel setting and I need a #50 round according to Cogswell - does anyone have any idea what size that measurement relates to in Cookson terms please?

[Goldsmith]

I use gravers and scorpers regularly. I learnt basic hand engraving from my grandfather when I was an apprentice. I do not like engraving lettering, but I enjoy engraving or outlining my piercing projects before piercing. I also use my scorpers for carving, usually on crests and badges.

[Goldsmith]

I have not read Cogswell, but I would guess that in Cookson terms you want to buy some half round scorpers. They are a useful addition to any jeweller's toolkit if I am wrong about what Cogswell refers to. Here are photos one of my half round scorpers,a sketch showing how I grind all of my scorpers and a photo of a flat scorper as it comes from Cookson.

[Shaun750]

I did a hand engraving course at 'In the studio' a while back.
I got a gravermach sc,which is and air assisted tool.It's the like the difference between digging a hole with a pic axe or using a jack hammer(I've used both of those as well),they say it's 90% easier to learn with a air graver,and it's true.By hand you have to force the graver through the metal,but with the gravermach it's just a matter of steering it along the line you want to follow.You also have a foot pedal.
The little bit of engraving I do now is normally just to go over something I've engraved with a plotter,and then polished some of the detail away,I can't be bothered to set the compressor up,so i just push engrave it.

But...there's always a but,the main thing is keeping the graver sharp,if it's blunt,then it's bound to slip.
I think anyone could learn without lessons,learning from the net and a few forums,and practice for hours at a time,there is a post on ganoksin with a print out sheet of practice lines.If you did them once a day for a year,you'd be good enough.

Everyone should have a few gravers,they come in really handy for tidying up solder in places,that a file wont reach.