carvers

[carrie]

Hi I am currently making some gravers and carvers and although I can find plenty of images for gravers I cant seem to find any for the carvers, I am wanting to to try some silver carving , cn anyone direct me to any site that might help? thanks

[Goldsmith]

May I ask what you intend carving and what information are you after Carrie?

My experience of carving silver has mostly been when making silver crests for regalia such as mayoral badges. Making these required the use of many tools, hammers, piercing saws, files, scorpers, gravers, chasing tools, rotary tools and a hammerhead attachment used on a pendant drill.

James

[Dennis]

Hi Carrie,

When I have done silver carving, I cut out the outline with a saw and then used burrs. Tungsten carbide burrs, like the three front right are best, bacause they remain sharp.

In the case of the sea horse, it was carved while straight and then cuved at the end. The fins were soldered on textured sheet.

In the case of the dog, the two parts left and right were soldered together after carving.I also added a jump ring and collar. Dennis.

[carrie]

James , I am just experimenting but want to get more of a 3 d feel with some pieces, I am thinking of doing a bangle with leaves carved on to it, cutting back the background so that the leaves stand out , more like 3d rather than engraved, so i need to cut quite deeply into the metal. As you can tell this is a new tangent that I seem to be travelling so any input is great, forgive my ignorance but
what is the difference between a graver and a scorper?

Dennis, had nt thought of burrs, shall definitely investigate, love your photos, hope one day I will have half the skill that you do

thanks both for your replies

[ps_bond]

A scorper is the traditional term for any non-square graver - so round, lozenge, spitstick/onglette, bullstick would all be scorpers and the graver is square.
People being sloppy (me!) or overly influenced by engravers from across the pond call 'em all gravers

Deep cuts for carving are usually done progressively rather than in 1 hit.

[Goldsmith]

James , I am just experimenting but want to get more of a 3 d feel with some pieces, I am thinking of doing a bangle with leaves carved on to it, cutting back the background so that the leaves stand out , more like 3d rather than engraved, so i need to cut quite deeply into the metal. As you can tell this is a new tangent that I seem to be travelling so any input is great, forgive my ignorance but
what is the difference between a graver and a scorper?

Dennis, had nt thought of burrs, shall definitely investigate, love your photos, hope one day I will have half the skill that you do

thanks both for your replies

Carrie, Peter has explained the difference between a scorper and graver, if you look at Cooksons tools catalogue you will see what's available; http://www.cooksongold.com/category_...query=scorpers
As to your project, if I was making a bangle with 3D leaves. I would first cut two lengths of metal for the bangle, each length half the desired thickness of the total bangle, then I would design my leaf pattern on one half, pierce out the leaf pattern and rough file some leaf shapes before soldering the leaf section onto the other half length of the bangle, then bend it into shape before finally carving the leaves with patterns and textures. I have not made many bangles but I do carve leaf patterns on mount fittings I use on my cane handles, which are made in two layers of metal like I explained. The photos show one of my scorpers prepared for use and a couple of cane handles with carved leaf pattern mounts.



James

[carrie]

Thank you james, this sounds so obvious when you explain it, I can see how this will give me exactly what I want to achieve tho I think I might try a test piece with some copper first , and thanks peter for explaining "scorper"