Announcement: poor mans: graver blanks and power hone

dogcatcher

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Oct 6, 2013
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Abilene TX Ruidoso NM
For those that do engraving for a living the best of the tools is the way to go, but for those of us that are hobbyists, we don't get to write off the expenses. We can get by with the inexpensive "stuff", we also get free reign of how and what we want to do when we want to do it. We have no customers to please, only ourselves, nor do we have to follow the norms that the professionals do. We get to march to the tune of our own drums, make our own music, and dance as we please.
 

Sam

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Covington, Louisiana
Oh please! C-Max 1.8mm graver blanks are $5.95 ea. Anyone who can afford a computer and an internet connection can certainly afford that.

I understand what you're saying dogcatcher, but cheapie carbide material should only be used AFTER you've gotten your tried & true gravers. I love experimentation too, but I have a supply of proper gravers to compare to. Once again, I'm not trying to discourage anyone from experimentation and saving money, but what scares me is the newbie engraver who surfs in and sees this fabulous deal on graver blanks for a buck apiece and assumes they're great. And just because the company claims [paraphrasing] "we sell lots of these to engravers" doesn't mean jack to me.
 

silverchip

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Fishermans Paradise,Idaho
Understanding carbide is to say the least confusing when it comes to all the different grades and densities. High modulus,fine grain carbide in good quality don't cost $1.89 a stick. Just go do some research and see how much time you spend on figuring out what is good graver blank material and then you will be grateful that someone else already did and is offering it at a pretty good price for a specific purpose for your convenience.In other words, a few bucks goes along ways to making more $$$ and satisfaction of doing a good job without the frustration of spending 1/2 your time trying to make a knock off tool work for you.

Good tools are priceless!!!
 

Southtexas

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Rio Grande Valley of Texas
Strange... I make my own gravers, both O1 and carbide, sharpen them on a shop built hone with a shop built dual angle fixture...
And have NONE of these problems you post about. And I don't spend half my time trying to make a tool work for me. Not sure who you are posting about that has such troubles.
And I spend my money on other things...
Cliff
 

Sam

Chief Administrator & Benevolent Dictator
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Covington, Louisiana
Strange... I make my own gravers, both O1 and carbide, sharpen them on a shop built hone with a shop built dual angle fixture...
And have NONE of these problems you post about. And I don't spend half my time trying to make a tool work for me. Not sure who you are posting about that has such troubles.
And I spend my money on other things...
Cliff

What sort of materials are you engraving, Cliff?
 

Sam

Chief Administrator & Benevolent Dictator
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Covington, Louisiana
I've been teaching for a lot of years and have seen my share of people struggling with crappy gravers. You dang right I'm worried about them!
 

dlilazteca

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May 10, 2013
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Laredo, Texas
My old man used to make gravers out of old fencing blades because he found it to be nice steel

Personally, I find Lindsay carbalt and GRS C-max the best to date if you must have carbide. To be honest. The quicker I can set up a graver blank that I know is tried and tested the better, then I can cut with confidence that the tool will do what it's meant to do.

Marcus

You've summed it up, it's just because its nice steel to work with thats all nothing more nothing less. I now its not much but i own about 20 store bought (engraving sites) blanks in diffrent steels/grades. I can tell you they ALL have their place as I have learned from Sam's explanation on HSS.

I also agree that someone starting out, absolute beginner should buy the standard (if you can call it that) graver blanks from engraving supplies. (who ever you prefer) because they are tried and true.

You professionals also work with top clients and expensive pieces to begin with, probably worth more than I earn in 5 years! OF COURSE you dont want to fiddle with a new graver blank. (thats common sense)

I feel that after working with all the top gravers (ive bought them) it would not hurt my small income. To spend 1.41 and try something new.

I understand that cobalt is the binder the grain size of the carbide is important and that the mix that Steve sells and GRS sells is in the sweet spot.

And thats great! When I can brag that my one graver blank makes me thousands (and I hope it happens one day) I will not even waste my time fiddling with petty things like these. (I dont expect you or anyone too)

Another fact is that in the old days like you mentioned Marcus, your father could not get online and order blanks, he found a way to get things done. This is what this is another way to get things done, is it the best? who knows, Is is the smartest move? Who knows (but boy I enjoy learning and experimenting) and they have worked great thus far. Maybe they wont work the best for firearms but hell they work great for the softer metals. Plus I got a pdf from the company in the different grades of cobalt/carbide mixtures and Im excited to try them.

Closing arguments: Before there was GRS or Lindsay people were engraving and getting it done how, just trying new things, I understand that we dont want anyone to get discurraged and quite because they tried the wrong thing. Thats why I agree with what Sam says.

BUT if we can find a new material that performs just and good, whats the issue with that? an exaggeration 90 years ago im sure no one would say buy from GRS or Steve or you might not make it as an engraver. People just got it done!

Please take it as it is, Just something to fiddle with and thats it! Dont read between the lines you will not find a hidden message with your decoder ring.

Here is the PDF with the mixtures you might want to try out. I'm gonna!

Carbide Grades.jpg
 

atexascowboy2011

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Feb 13, 2012
Messages
997
What it all boils down to, as others have said, GET THE BEST TOOLS, PERIOD,, EXPERIMENT DOWN THE ROAD! :beatup:
Don't handicap yourself before you're even started.
 
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