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Thread: stone setting with gravers - how to protect the thumb?

  1. #1
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    Default stone setting with gravers - how to protect the thumb?

    Hi again

    the stone setting course is now over. Tony Tigg is a genius setter.


    The problem: enthusiastic as always - I have been a tad carried away with my graver, learning to set and use my tools and now have a several cuts on my dominant thumb.

    I have been using my green finger tape, but I keep getting the tape covered in oil and this then plays up with the setters cement as it is rather saturating the tape I guess. I have cut back on the oil and this has helped with the cement. The tape is a poor match against the graver too and ends up in tatters very quickly. I have an allergy to rubber so cannot use one of those thumbett thingys, which I thought would have been ideal.

    Any suggestions on how I can protect my thumb before I do any more damage would be very welcomed.

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    Pics and a write-up???

    When you say your dominant thumb, do you mean the one you're holding the graver with? If not, the advice is keep your thumb out of the way...

    If it's the former - and normally I'd say use one of the rubber thumb thingies - can I suggest stoning the sharp edges off your graver where you touch them? I know some engravers use heat-shrink tubing or fuel tubing over gravers to protect their thumbs (I don't personally, but whatever works).

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    I think Peter's suggestion of smoothing the relevant edges makes the most sense. But when things are too painful to hold I often get out my leather finger stalls, a small one for my index finger and a larger one for the opposing thumb (Cookson 9990164 & 9990165). The sort that tie on, from the chemist might suit you even better. Dennis.

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    lol - pics..... some of the stuff I did was shockingly awful..... much improved now, but a long way to go. I did start a pavé setting at the weekend (because it was fun and I can mostly do it now - again, a long way to go, but what joy!!) lol I will get some pics up soon though....... and you can laugh with me. hahaha

    okay, the graver - the spitstick is very sharp all the way underneath and I didn't know if this is normal. The knife edge spitstick is not as sharp, so I thought it may be due to the curves on the onglette. I will look into a few options. I use my right hand and my right thumb is getting shredded.

    I am not keen to alter the gravers, they are a wonderful design without me adapting them.

    thanks Peter - And Dennis your ideas are great too. I will see what a little more perseverence with google for thumb stalls comes up with. The right words make searching so much easier. Thank you both again.
    Last edited by Wallace; 16-04-2012 at 07:12 PM. Reason: wrote originally before Dennis posted :o)

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dennis View Post
    I think Peter's suggestion of smoothing the relevant edges makes the most sense. But when things are too painful to hold I often get out my leather finger stalls, a small one for my index finger and a larger one for the opposing thumb (Cookson 9990164 & 9990165). The sort that tie on, from the chemist might suit you even better. Dennis.
    Success - your idea helped with getting a possible result - http://fingerstalls.com/ will see if it works. I do use the finger covers, but they slip off my little figers all the time. Even the Gravers had to be made much shorter as I have small hands. lol

    thanks for the quick help - I want to get back to setting more things! YAY looks like it will be sooner than later now.

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    Yes, now that you mention it, the spit stick is the most painful because the sharp lower edge also gives rise to the point.

    I don't use my gravers much, because I have never succeeded with them, despite a four day course years ago.

    Looking at my collection I put masking tape around the painful bits. Embarrassing to be so late in remembering this. Dennis.

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    Is the oil you mention from the sharpening stone? I mentioned the other day using almond oil instead - although given I sharpen my gravers on diamond & ceramics, they're both used dry so I don't use oil often (although I have a small dip-pot to lube the graver points).

    WRT the onglette/spitstick - I remember other people getting cuts off the bottom of that, I'd assumed it was the top edge that was causing problems. I#ve just gone and looked at how I hold it, and my thumb is alongside the graver, so even when I slide it past my thumb it still doesn't get the edge. I'd still suggest blunting it about 1/2" back from the cutting tip - by the time you've sharpened back that far you should be quite comfortable reprofiling it (it's a lot like sharpening a knife, but rocking it to get the curve). You don't need to take much off, just a couple of swipes.

    Wasn't that the same course Carole was on?

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    Hi Wallace, I use a leather stall on my left thumb, because I havent really mastered the gravers and they tend to slip and whoops another trip to A & E. Mine has elastic all down the length of it so it fits snug but its more like industrial suede gloves, so may be better suited to you. It may be cheaper to get a pair of the cotton gardening gloves with the suede fingers and just cut off the fingers, an elastic band for the top. They are only about £2 or so from B & Q.



    Quote Originally Posted by Wallace View Post
    Success - your idea helped with getting a possible result - http://fingerstalls.com/ will see if it works. I do use the finger covers, but they slip off my little figers all the time. Even the Gravers had to be made much shorter as I have small hands. lol

    thanks for the quick help - I want to get back to setting more things! YAY looks like it will be sooner than later now.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ps_bond View Post

    Wasn't that the same course Carole was on?
    Yes it was Peter. I didn't attack my pieces with quite as much gusto as Wallace though! For some reason, I didn't find using the gravers cut my thumb. I haven't had a chance to practice since I got home either. Wallace has really found stone setting to be her thing, whereas my eyes let me down and I couldn't really get the hang of pave setting. I did enjoy it though and some of the other settings are much more my style. It was a delight to be taught by such a professional and I'd definitely recommend it.

    The group of people were lovely, particularly Wallace - we had such a great time.

  10. #10
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    Does sound like it was a fun course - I'd still love to see a full report + pics (joint effort?) if possible, please!

    For 3mm & above stones, I don't use magnification much other than checking with a loupe; I use the Optivisor & microscope for smaller stuff. I've been experimenting more with precutting with power recently; I'm dialling the power way down to get the control, which means it's not really any faster, just less effort.

    There's a massive difference between being taught be a pro setter and someone who just teaches setting, isn't there? Did he teach seat cutting with a bullstick too?

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