The importance of beveling cuts

Sam · Jul 4, 2012

Something I really stress to students is the importance of beveling cuts. The rule of thumb with ornamental engraving is that cuts should bevel to the inside of each element. Some students get confused about where the graver should roll to the right or to the left. Forget right and left. If you're engraving a leaf element, roll (tilt the graver) to the inside of that leaf. The result is that the deepest part of the cuts will be on the outside and the shallow part to the inside. If you're still confused, imagine a raised panel in a door and that should help you wrap your brain around it.

What the viewer sees is the sparkle of light reflecting from the beveled cuts. Without beveling, the work can look flat an lifeless. As the object is moved, light plays off the cuts and sparkles, creating a beautiful effect. An illusion of depth is also a bonus. The engraving in this photo has no background removal, but at first glance it might appear to be deeply relieved. Care should be taken so that you don't accidentally stipple onto the beveled cuts. If you do, you can normally recut them to remove the accidental stippling.

This is a project I'm working on with a student this week.

Haraga.com · Jul 4, 2012

I agree Sam. Cutting with a flat graver will make you role your graver.

Sam · Jul 4, 2012

Yes it will as you have no choice with a flat. I use flats quite a lot.

This was cut with a 120Â° graver and the center leaf measures 5mm at its widest part.

leschowe · Jul 4, 2012

Hi Sam,
Beautiful cuts!!
I have a question. In one of your previous posts a long time ago, when you were discussing the same flare/bevel cutting topic on leaves, I remember you stating that all scroll cuts should be straight cuts, ie no flare cutting or beveled cuts. I have noticed that some engravers do use some flare cuts when cutting scrolls. I was wondering, did I understand your comment correctly and could you discuss this topic with a short comment.

Thanks,
Les Schowe

Sam · Jul 4, 2012

Hi Les. On scroll backbones I don't roll the graver. Or if I do, it's such a slight amount that it's not noticeable in the cut itself. Everything else is rolled though.

The flare cut style is different though, and rolling of the graver on backbones would be done.

mrthe · Jul 4, 2012

thank you Sam very helpfull post!

Tim Wells · Jul 4, 2012

One huge mistake I've made in general is hardly ever using a flat. I am engraving a "W" in David Yurman font on a pair of $400 cufflinks today and I had to spend way too much time re-learning how to use a flat on a practice piece first.

The font is based on Times New Roman so I'm cutting the straight elements of the letters so that there is a sharp ridge or a peak if you will, going dead center along those parts. I tried it with a square but due to the size of the letter a flat was in order.... and I'm way out of practice using them. Shame on me! Hope I don't screw up... no pressure though. :shock:

I'm starting to think a person should cut some letter styles, roman and script maybe as well as scrolls now and then with nothing but a flat to keep in practice. You never know when a job will require the use of one of those unruly buggers, you'd best know how to handle one with confidence. :chip:

Marrinan · Jul 4, 2012

Very nice explanation Sam. Thanks for your in site on this tip as well as your many other tips in the archive. Fred

mitch · Jul 4, 2012

and in this particular application it has the added benefit of providing some extra clearance around the relieved background areas, whereas cuts with more vertical sidewalls would be more difficult to work around. both cosmetically & functionally useful!

Sam · Jul 4, 2012

A flat graver is a fantastic tool for many applications. I use it for borders, script lettering, brightcutting, flare cutting, etc. Hang in there with it, Tim! It'll be one of your favorite gravers once you tame it into submission

rod · Jul 4, 2012

A most useful post, Sam,

And the photo is excellent, showing what can be done to give the illusion of depth. Although this was done with your favourite 120 degree graver, I have witnessed you doing very clean and tiny tight curves with a flat. I agree, many a well cut example posted on this forum suffers from relieved and stippled backgrounds going right up to a non-beveled edge, with the risk of going too far, the result looking like a slightly ragged cliff edge on an otherwise fine piece of work. Your good advice of beveled edge inwards for beauty, sense of depth, and a sparkle, and your other tip about a second cut leaning out, around the elements, gives a safely boundary while stippling, reducing the temptation to work too close to the element outline.

I confess to be going a bit overboard these days, doing almost everything with a flat, as I explore flare cutting. Of course, you better get skilful with a flat if Western, or Mid-Western (Mike Dubber) bright cutting is your interest. For me, once I started using the flat for small elements, I had to start thinking more seriously about form, depth illusion, and the very basic idea of sculpting shallow effects. It has got me thinking more about form, and I can recommend it to those of us in the learning curve. Lock up your square gravers for a week?

Rod

James Roettger · Jul 4, 2012

I noticed too that beveling like you describe creates a convex form which I think disperses light better that concave bevels. I've learned a lot from observing other's bright cut engraving that passes over my bench and the good stuff is always done like you discuss.

Chujybear · Jul 4, 2012

Hello sam.
It seems such a simple little thing, but makes such a monumental difference..
I have a question ; if you were to cross hatch the background, as apposed to stippling, would your approach be any different? A double borderline, for instance, or all the same?

mrthe · Jul 5, 2012

how is exactly the " flare cutting" sorry but some technical words are difficult to understand for me sometime, someone can explain to me it maybe with a photo example? thank you, will be great have a unique post with example of all the types of cuts and how are called, expecially for newbies and strangers user in the forum hehe
thank you

edit:
i have just find the definition of flaire cut in the great R. Bleile glossary sorry for ask, sometime i forget that we have this great tool!

Sam · Jul 5, 2012

Chujybear said:
Hello sam.
It seems such a simple little thing, but makes such a monumental difference..
I have a question ; if you were to cross hatch the background, as apposed to stippling, would your approach be any different? A double borderline, for instance, or all the same?

I've not done many crosshatched backgrounds, but when I did I don't recall engraving an extra border, although that might not be a bad idea as long as it's not too strong. It seems like it could provide a bit of safety for the beveled cuts which you would certainly not want to slip into when cutting the crosshatch lines. I'll give it a try when I get time.

Sam · Jul 5, 2012

rod said:
I confess to be going a bit overboard these days, doing almost everything with a flat, as I explore flare cutting. Of course, you better get skilful with a flat if Western, or Mid-Western (Mike Dubber) bright cutting is your interest. For me, once I started using the flat for small elements, I had to start thinking more seriously about form, depth illusion, and the very basic idea of sculpting shallow effects. It has got me thinking more about form, and I can recommend it to those of us in the learning curve. Lock up your square gravers for a week?

Rod

Rod, the beautiful work you're putting out shows that you really have tamed your flat gravers! Seriously, your flare cut stuff is just beautiful, and reminds me that I need to focus on flare cutting more as I don't do it very often.

And yes, locking up the V-gravers for a week and concentrating on using a flat graver might be recommended

I'm still using my 40Â° face and 10-20Â° short radius heel on flats used for brightcutting and lettering.

monk · Jul 5, 2012

mrthe: the flare cut is simply a different way of cutting and creating design. there are tutorials for this in the tip section. if you cant find them, email me-- i'll send you the tutorial stuff i have.
jayismonk450@gmail.com

mrthe · Jul 5, 2012

Hi Monk, thank you for your help!
i have find this 2 threads about flare cut, is this the tutorial that you are talking about?

http://www.engraverscafe.com/showthread.php?3209-Tutorial-Flare-cut-style-by-Ron-Smith * * * * *

http://www.engraverscafe.com/showthread.php?4942-More-info-on-Flare-cut-sculpting

Arnaud Van Tilburgh · Jul 5, 2012

Sam, do you think this is also important on jewellery (small scrolls) as this way there is less space left for shading. I hope I make myself clear.

arnaud

Sam · Jul 5, 2012

I bevel cuts on everything I engrave. I can't think of an exception.

The importance of beveling cuts

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