Question: Having trouble with gravers

If you tool dulls the metal is not harden properly (I know it is an obvious statement). So start the hardening process, water will give a more brutal hardening than oil, every time you heat metal with a torch you lose carbon so you can repeat the operation only so many time. When draw back you need to apply an even heat on the tool, if it because dark yellow chances are that you went to hot. Has for harder is better, it is not quiet the case, metal need to flex and use its elastic property, like a knife, if it does not flex it break. You have to make it hard enough to flex (like a spring) but not so soft that it will deform. Buy something pre-heat treated and be gentle if you have to grind it (keep it cool)

note, on the video of the pocket watch: doing the straight cuts, you are actually pushing the graver. when he does the curved lines. the graver is held stationary, offering only resistance to the metal as it is turned in the vise. finger placement, and hand clearance are important. doing the watch, his hand is very close to the surface of the watch. i get better control with a bit more clearance than shown in the video. as to geometries. none are good-- that is till you find what feels and works properly for you. you will never find what works, till you experiment. if you wish to master this overnight, take up bowling or fishing. the problem seems to be a host of seemingly unrelated disciplines have to be mastered, just to cut that 1 little line.

just wanted to thank sam and the rest of you for the help.

I am cruising with sams new graver geometry. Its really night and day difference. If I had known about this at the start i would probly be alot farther along.

A good idea for beginners is to get some High speed graver blanks from GRS. Even if you overheat a high speed graver it will not take the temper out of it. If you disagree read up on how to anneal HSS steel.

John P. Anderson said:

Quillen posted an excellent video yesterday that shows perfect push control. He has numerous other videos on youtube worth watching. The following shows push technique at a much lower tool angle than most use.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXxziaBOuZg&index=6&list=UUw58YrAucjFRrQ1xhwBjXXg

Click to expand...

What a great vid, thanks for putting it up. The craftsman's skills are insane.

Notice the really low angle on his graver when engraving the watch case. Hard to tell how it's sharpened. He uses flat gravers on some of his other videos.