Heel length

Christian DeCamillis

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I wrote on this subject as a response to another thread about hand push with the 105degree graver. I decided to start it as a new thread because it's worth exploring.

I think that a longer heel is better that a short one for several reasons. Since a picture is worth a thousand words then a video should be worth 10,000 so instead of writing for an hour I have put these links to some video blogs I did some time back.

Here are some links to video blogs I made some time ago on my site. It is part of the basic lessons that are there. For any beginners that are interested there is a complete basic engraving class there which you can follow for free. It involves watching these short video blogs along with downloads that can be used located on the documents page to transfer to follow along with the remonstrations of the blogs.

These first ones cover the heel and what it does as well s why I think a longer heel is better.

http://www.engraversstudio.com/apps/...?id=86c8304ed0


http://http://www.engraversstudio.com/apps/vblog/Video/View.aspx?id=eaa7deda9e

http://http://www.engraversstudio.com/apps/vblog/Video/View.aspx?id=449ec0f928

The last two have a demo. They are only 3 minutes each.
 
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Jared Eason

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Thanks Chris . I will have to wait till I get home to watch the videos. My phone won't support them. By the way I love your bulino DVDs, cannot wait for the third .
 

Sam

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I'm probably guilty of wrist dropping myself because I definitely get drag with a long heel, especially like the one pictured in the other thread.
 

phil

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Well. As it is new years eve I have been having a little tipple. It is 7pm here in the UK after all but I will try to put my point across coherently! When hand pushing there is without doubt a feel for the progression of the cut that is somewhat lost when using power. The point that you make in the videos Chris(about not dropping the handle end of the graver) is something that I feel is essential for minimalizing drag with longer heels. As I said in Sam's post, all of the UK engravers that I know, without exception use a long heel and experience very few visual signs of heel drag. At the very most and under heavy magnification a slight feathering of the very top surface of the incision can be seen. This however is hardly noticeable due to the fact of the smooth and consistent delivery of force throughout the cut when using hand pushing. I believe that the top edge of the incision becomes burnished smooth by the hand pushing and although the drag is there to some degree, the movement of hand cutting eliminates (through a burrnishing action) most of the visible jagged signs of drag. I will also add that the engraving that I have experienced with long heels has always been built up by a number of cuts to build the required depth and width, with the final cut being the "cleaning up cut". If at any point a deep cut is to be made cleanly and in one pass I have only found it to be possible with a tiny heel, and without exception the Lindsay parallel point, cuts wide and deep cuts cleanly and first pass. Now.... where's that bourbon......
 
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Rolland

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Dec 22, 2013
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Camp Verde
Chris
Thanks for the video I now have a much clearer picture of what a heel does, there are so many aspects of shaping the graver. You have just cleared up another point for me (no pun).
 

monk

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i'm up for going longer. i get in trouble with a very short heel and digging in deeper than i want to do. as mentioned, with the power toys, one loses a "feel" of what the graver is doing. i sometimes turn off the air and just push to get a better feel of what's going on at the graver tip. it feels good to me to be able to know how much muscle i'[m using on a cut. with power on, this feeling is lost. thanks for doing this demo/s, chris.
 

BrianPowley

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I'm also in the "Longer heel is better" camp. The heel is nothing more than creating tool clearance behind the cutting point.
Never fully understood the importance until I learned how/why I sharpened my metal lathe tools.
 

GTJC460

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I didn't realize the full effect of the heel till I started cutting really hard obstinanate metals and objects that require special grinds to help make life easier.

There's a lot to be said for learning how to use a fixture like the dual angle to sharpen your gravers. Templates and easy fixtures are great for beginners just learning tool control. When you start cutting real objects, you learn real fast how to shape a graver to meet the needs of your job.
 

Dimas

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Nov 24, 2011
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Chris thank you in advance what it does.
For me it is hard having to be translating all the contents,
It is a pity that weren't profitable sales of his DVD, in Spanish, translated by our common friend Jordi.
just wanted to send you my thanks.
Best regards.

Chris agradecerle de antemano lo que hace.
Para mi es dificil tener que estar traduciendo todos los contenidos,
Es una pena que no fuesen rentables las ventas de sus DVD, en castellano, traducido por nuestro amigo comun Jordi.
solo queria enviarle mi agradecimiento.
Saludos.
 

dlilazteca

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It appears that the links are not cell phone friendly, android user here. Or is it just me? Galaxy s3

Carlos De La O III
 

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