Dual angle GRS, drag heel...

hello friends, I bought a dual angle GRS and am struggling to get a proper heel. I say this because the cut is not that bright and has too much drag. I want an angle of 120 degrees, I've tried everything and do not get a satisfactory result. Follow all instructions in the manual that accompanies this tool. could someone guide me how to make a correct sharpening to get a brilliant cut? Thank you so much.
I would like to learn how to make scrolls here in Brazil we have nothing of the beautiful art of engraving. noble fellow forum could tell if the book-design and drawing is a good book for beginners?
Best regards,
Marcelo

For a brillant cut you needa mirror polished heels, what are you using to make the mirror polish?

600 grit, 1200 and ceramic.
Thanks

It is best to have a rounded heal I'm thinking of a flat graver.

Sounds like your cutting the v but are not putting heels on it

Saludos,

Carlos

How should i do the heel?
Thanks

First of all, remember that it is not the gear that makes the engraver. It is important to know how to use the tools you have at your disposal. When making the heel there are several things to remember, and most important is the angle of the heel. I usually use a heel of 12,5 degrees, which is what works best for me. The heel angle has a lot to do with heeldrag, so this is something you should play around with if you feel that you have problems. Start at 15 degrees, and work from there.

You say that you want an angle of 120 degrees, which is a good choice, because the wide angle helps prevent heel drag. It also makes a wider line without needing to cut as deep as, for instance, a 90 degree would have to. To make a 120 with the dual angle fixture, fasten the graver in the dual angle fixture, and turn the first of the wheels to that the graver is tiltes 30 degrees to the side. It should lie flat towands the stone. When you have grinded enough turn it to 30 on the other side, and repeat. Repeat with finer stones to polish.

When making the heel, here is what you do. Turn the fixture to 30 degrees again, but this time you also tilt it forward about 15 degrees. Use the cheramic stone only, when making heels, and make sure the heels are no longer than 1/3mm. If they are any longer than that then you will get heeldrag.

It is also important that you don't cut so deep that you run out of heel. If you do that, you get heel drag. Try cutting shallow lines at first, work your way deeper into the metal as your skill progresses.

For the face angle, use 45 degrees to begin with.

Best of luck.

Have a look at the iGraver Tutorials link at the top of the page. Sharpening instructions are there.

I suspect it's not the tool geometry, but the driver of the tool.

Most new engravers tend to drop their wrist, or try to "help" the graver through a turn.

Really try to focus on maintaining your wrist angle through tight radius turns. Or even slightly raising your wrist angle through the turn. It sounds counterintuitive but it's the way it works. The drag is caused by the rear or the heel or shaping grind coming in contact with the metal already cut. If you raise the wrist, you are effectively increasing your clearance, thereby eliminating the drag.

Chris DeCamillus has a very good video on his site explaining heel drag and graver geometry. www.engraversstudio.com

mrthe said:

For a brilliant cut you need mirror polished heels,

Click to expand...

you also need to polish the face. a cutting edge can only be as perfect as the least polished adjacent surface. a perfectly polished facet meeting one sharpened at 600 grit will still be a little rough. two perfectly polished facets = one perfectly polished sharp edge. a polished heel will help burnish the cut as it passes, but a polished face & heel will make a cleaner, shinier cut in the first place.

http://www.engraversstudio.com/apps/videos/videos/show/12204393-sharpening-overview

heel length explained:

http://www.engraversstudio.com/apps/vblog/Video/View.aspx?id=86c8304ed0
http://www.engraversstudio.com/apps/vblog/Video/View.aspx?id=eaa7deda9e
http://www.engraversstudio.com/apps/vblog/Video/View.aspx?id=449ec0f928

I find that when I'm dragging the heal, it's due to the heal being to large. Make sure your heal is very thin. Someone above said 1/3 mm. It's not that critical to be exact. It is critical to be thin.

Assuming the heel is properly sharpened to the correct size and geometry, then heel drag can usually be attributed to lack of graver control. This is common and most students eventually overcome it. The more tool control you have the more finesse you'll have with your cutting and lot less stress on the graver point, especially in a tight radius where the rotational speed of the vise increases. Gentle turns are pretty easy, but tight turns demand even more tool control. This is often where heel drag occurs as the rotational speed of the vise in a tight turn can exceed the engraver's ability to control the tool.

thank wholeheartedly all kind observations. I would like to say how much the work performed by you is admired. Since everyone's attention to the work and all the tools are all lovely. I can not explain what happens if it's drag or anything, but it's like having a series of small scratches on the edge of the cut.

Post some pictures of your graver and the cuts

Saludos,

Carlos

GTJC460 said:

http://www.engraversstudio.com/apps/videos/videos/show/12204393-sharpening-overview

heel length explained:

http://www.engraversstudio.com/apps/vblog/Video/View.aspx?id=86c8304ed0
http://www.engraversstudio.com/apps/vblog/Video/View.aspx?id=eaa7deda9e
http://www.engraversstudio.com/apps/vblog/Video/View.aspx?id=449ec0f928

Click to expand...

Very good videos, thanks