Check out the new C-Max graver offerings.
New gravers from GRS
- Thread starter Sam
- Start date
billrice@charter.net
Elite Cafe Member
Thanks Sam These could be real interesting. Have you experimented with these yet. If so can you tell us a little about how you used these
I use the 1.8mm C-Max rounds to make 105 and 120° gravers with the EasyGraver fixture. I've not tried any of the stepped gravers yet.
Christian DeCamillis
Elite Cafe Member
I can see using the 1.8mm to start so you don't have to grind so much but i don't understand what these will do. You only have about 1/2 inch of the smaller diameter then what? You could put them in your micromotor or flexshaft handpiece and then use the power hone to grind another short section by rotating the handpiece and powerhone at the same time. That is something you can do and I do all the time so why not just take a blank and do that yourself to begin with.
It seems they are offering them in 2 tenths of a mm steps and of course when that happens you will always need the size between that isn't offered, It's always the case especially when it comes to stone setting. Maybe I am missing something on this one .
When I do this I normally use two handpieces under the scope, blank in one hand and a diamond cutoff wheel in the other. I can shape down an old carbide burr or regular burr to whatever size is needed in a couple of minutes or less.
It seems they are offering them in 2 tenths of a mm steps and of course when that happens you will always need the size between that isn't offered, It's always the case especially when it comes to stone setting. Maybe I am missing something on this one .
When I do this I normally use two handpieces under the scope, blank in one hand and a diamond cutoff wheel in the other. I can shape down an old carbide burr or regular burr to whatever size is needed in a couple of minutes or less.
Andrew Biggs
Moderator
These gravers rock!!
The thing I like about them is that they are incredibly tough and the step down means that you don't need a special QC holder like the straight 1.8mm blanks. The reduced size of the pointy end means that there is less time needed to shape the working end of the graver.
Most gravers are too long when you first buy them and need some of the length taken back. So you just cut off the thick end. By the time you have used us the thin end the graver has come to the end of it's useful life unless you like working with short stubby gravers as some people do.
It's also important when using round gravers that once you put them in a QC holder you lock it in and don't take it out till it's all used up.
If you want in-between sizes you can just chuck them up in a cordless drill and run them over a power hone or a diamond disk in a rotary tool and within a few seconds the job is done. The C-Max gravers can be made razor sharp and get a polish like no other graver can.
Yes…..they have a place in gun engraving and bulino work, in fact they have a place in all engraving work, They are not limited to just stone setting. I'm using them on stainless watches and knives quite a bit. You just have to take a little care in sharpening them for different metals. I use both the Easygraver fixture which gives a parallel heel and also a normal heel depending on what I'm cutting and trying to do.
But its like anything. Some people will find them useful and others won't. It's just another choice we have to our arsenal of tools available.
Cheers
Andrew
The thing I like about them is that they are incredibly tough and the step down means that you don't need a special QC holder like the straight 1.8mm blanks. The reduced size of the pointy end means that there is less time needed to shape the working end of the graver.
Most gravers are too long when you first buy them and need some of the length taken back. So you just cut off the thick end. By the time you have used us the thin end the graver has come to the end of it's useful life unless you like working with short stubby gravers as some people do.
It's also important when using round gravers that once you put them in a QC holder you lock it in and don't take it out till it's all used up.
If you want in-between sizes you can just chuck them up in a cordless drill and run them over a power hone or a diamond disk in a rotary tool and within a few seconds the job is done. The C-Max gravers can be made razor sharp and get a polish like no other graver can.
Yes…..they have a place in gun engraving and bulino work, in fact they have a place in all engraving work, They are not limited to just stone setting. I'm using them on stainless watches and knives quite a bit. You just have to take a little care in sharpening them for different metals. I use both the Easygraver fixture which gives a parallel heel and also a normal heel depending on what I'm cutting and trying to do.
But its like anything. Some people will find them useful and others won't. It's just another choice we have to our arsenal of tools available.
Cheers
Andrew
Christian DeCamillis
Elite Cafe Member
This was my point. If you can chuck it up and re size it in a few seconds why not chuck up a blank and size it from the get go. with less that 1/2 inch of usable length of the smaller diameter it won't be long before it's used up. Those smaller diameters for bulino after shaping and sharpening you will be hitting the bottom of the tool in no time. That is to say the larger diameter of the tool .
As for the statement that the C max gravers can be made razor sharp and polish like no other graver, is simply not true. In fact I have a few different carbide grades that I can make as sharp and polish just as well. C max is a good quality graver but the above claim is misleading.
As for the statement that the C max gravers can be made razor sharp and polish like no other graver, is simply not true. In fact I have a few different carbide grades that I can make as sharp and polish just as well. C max is a good quality graver but the above claim is misleading.
Mike Fennell
Elite Cafe Member
When sharpening as Christian does, under the microscope with a micromotor, the shape of the graver blank is irrelevant.
But when using a sharpening fixture or templates to form the blank into a graver, I prefer square blanks, as they index accurately and make it quick and easy to touch up the tip if it chips.
But when using a sharpening fixture or templates to form the blank into a graver, I prefer square blanks, as they index accurately and make it quick and easy to touch up the tip if it chips.
Andrew Biggs
Moderator
No, not misleading........only an opinion based on my own personal experience same as yours or anyone else's. People can accept or reject it............I'm happy either way.
As I said, some people will find them useful and others won't. Different stokes for different folks.
Mike, you are correct about indexing. However GRS have worked around that with a QC adaptor which is clever little devise that fits into your dual angle sharpener. Your QC collet fits into it but the trick is once you have shaped the graver, don't take it out of the QC collet. This way you can use either square or round stock as gravers. In the case of the EasyGraver sharpeners it doesn't matter as it already has a QC adaptor built into it. And as you say, using a micro motor none of it matters.
The link to the QC adaptor is here
Cheers
Andrew
Christian DeCamillis
Elite Cafe Member
I agree, if you had stated it to read ,In my opinion, but that's not what was written it was stated as fact. Thanks for clearing that up.
Chris
Chris
Andrew Biggs
Moderator
Chris........You mean like the way you stated that it was in your opinion on your post??………..Or perhaps the way you stated in fact on your post??
Give me a break!!! This whole forum is about sharing from personal experience and it's a bit rich to expect everything to start with In my opinion.
Haraga.com
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Andrew your words came across like it was based on fact and not opinion. You could use the letters IMO in the future to avoid confusion.
Andrew Biggs
Moderator
Good grief
I really thought that perhaps there were more important and interesting things to discuss than weather or not I put IMO or IMHO or In my opinion before I say anything.
Perhaps a wringing hands emoticon as well would cover it
Cheers
Andrew
I really thought that perhaps there were more important and interesting things to discuss than weather or not I put IMO or IMHO or In my opinion before I say anything.
Perhaps a wringing hands emoticon as well would cover it
Cheers
Andrew
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Andrew Biggs
Moderator
Quite right and I apologise. It's never pleasant being a spectator to these things.
As the saying goes..........keep calm and carry on
Cheers
Andrew
As the saying goes..........keep calm and carry on
Cheers
Andrew
Crazy Horse
Elite Cafe Member
Quite right and I apologise. It's never pleasant being a spectator to these things.
As the saying goes..........keep calm and carry on
Cheers
Andrew
Gee, how the heck did the old masters ever get anything done using the very basic tools they had at hand? Must have been devine intervention.
I'm liking the look of that tapered C-Max point. Looks like it'll be great for stippling with less bulk to have to see around under the microscope.
Dale Hatfield
Elite Cafe Member
So if yall are cutting graver blanks shorter before you sharpen. What do you do with what's left?
If the masters are making gravers shorter. Why do they come the length that they do? Why hasn't the length been shortened from the factory? Why hasn't the issue been addressed? Why is the sky blue?
I don't shorten graver length. Didn't know that I was supposed to. But I've never been trained. Guess its a bad habit now that I'm sure I could get over. But Id say that Im cheap. Why would I pay for something to cut it shorter and throw it away.
If the masters are making gravers shorter. Why do they come the length that they do? Why hasn't the length been shortened from the factory? Why hasn't the issue been addressed? Why is the sky blue?
I don't shorten graver length. Didn't know that I was supposed to. But I've never been trained. Guess its a bad habit now that I'm sure I could get over. But Id say that Im cheap. Why would I pay for something to cut it shorter and throw it away.
Brian Marshall
~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Gotta agree with Dale.
In my shop in Taxco, hand engravers used the FULL LENGTH of hand push graver blanks in short handles... it can be done.
And then they kept right on sharpening them down to where there was only an inch or so of graver to stick into a 2 1/2" handle.
When they got down to a stub - if it was a liner - they soldered that stub to a piece of square or round stock and used it some more!
In my opinion, ya'all may be gettin' just a wee bit spoiled?
Of course the companies that sell the shovels to the miners want you to buy more shovels... it makes 'em more money!
Brian
In my shop in Taxco, hand engravers used the FULL LENGTH of hand push graver blanks in short handles... it can be done.
And then they kept right on sharpening them down to where there was only an inch or so of graver to stick into a 2 1/2" handle.
When they got down to a stub - if it was a liner - they soldered that stub to a piece of square or round stock and used it some more!
In my opinion, ya'all may be gettin' just a wee bit spoiled?
Of course the companies that sell the shovels to the miners want you to buy more shovels... it makes 'em more money!
Brian
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