clean line ends with hammer and chisel - newbie question

Big Ed

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2015
Messages
22
Location
Tampa, FL
I'm in very early stages of learning to engrave with hammer and chisel, using a homemade square graver. I am having trouble getting clean line ends in mild steel. In the tutorials I watched, the engraver appears to slice the the chip off by prying the tip sharply upward at the end of the cut. However, the chip usually won't break off for me. I have tried cutting the chip off at various angles and directions, but it leaves an ugly burr.

Am I missing out on some technique? Or do I have issues with my graver geometry and sharpness? It seems to cut cleanly otherwise.
 

Marrinan

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Nov 11, 2006
Messages
2,917
Location
outside Albany in SW GA
Popping the bur is one of the things you have to learn. You were right in the first attempt. chisel to the end and pop up. it will come with more practice. It is one of the neat sounds of engraving, that distinctive pop-Fred
 

Big Ed

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2015
Messages
22
Location
Tampa, FL
I'm using a 2.5 ounce ball peen hammer with a 6 inch handle.

I made some progress after I posted this. Made a new graver with a sharper face angle and narrower tip. Figured out that I was cutting way too deep. If I kept my cuts shallow, at the end I could stop, lower the angle of attack about halfway, and then a single tap would snip the chip off. Is that correct, or should I be able to do it solely with upward shearing pressure?
 

monk

Moderator
Staff member
::::Pledge Member::::
Joined
Feb 11, 2007
Messages
10,857
Location
washington, pa
"popping" out of a cut requires a bit of practice. for some, a lot of practice. learning exactly when & how fast to do this-- i don't think anybody can really tell you. you sort of learn this by accident, after practice. for me, i just "know" when it's time to do it. don't practice this on a real job, just on some steel scraps you may have. i find this far easier with power assist or push graving. more difficult with h & c.
 
Last edited:

JOEYS CARVED ART

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2013
Messages
224
Location
West Virginia
Be careful, it is easy to break the end of the graver if you cut deep and try to pry out a big chip at the end. I found this out the hard way just like everyone else did. I am a beginner also so I don't know what I am doing giving advice. I may be wrong, it may just be me breaking the gravers with my novice style.
 

Donny

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
719
Location
Girard, OH
It does sound as if you are cutting to deep. Stay shallow and clean. 1 inch lines then 1 1/2 inch lines then wavy lines. after your first couple hundred lines the pop will start to become more of a natural thought and then as you keep going one day it will be second nature. Honestly staying shallow and learning graver control is your best goal right now.

Donny
 

Big Ed

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2015
Messages
22
Location
Tampa, FL
I'm starting to get the hang of popping out. As you all told me, the key for me is staying shallow. However, a follow-up question: the end of the line where the chip breaks off looks ugly. Is there something I should be doing to dress up the ends of lines so they look better?
 

monk

Moderator
Staff member
::::Pledge Member::::
Joined
Feb 11, 2007
Messages
10,857
Location
washington, pa
can you provide a closeup foto of the cut. more useful answers will result-- if we can see it.
 

Big Ed

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2015
Messages
22
Location
Tampa, FL
Ok, here is a picture of some straight lines. I am working on learning hairlines for lettering and inlays, so I chased these about 3 or 4 times to deepen them. Sometimes my initial pop is clean, but after backcutting and chasing a few times I usually wind up with a burr.

Lines.JPG
 

JOEYS CARVED ART

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2013
Messages
224
Location
West Virginia
It looks as though you might be undercutting on your ends and going under the metal instead of gradually coming out of it. Most of the lines that you will be engraving will not just stop at a dead end like this, they either run into another line or they are a continuous line. Most of the lines you carve that are dead ended will be a start of a line and that is usually for shading and you will want these lines to gradually slope down to the depth of your cut. If these lines that you are showing in the pics were to run into other lines then there would be no build up or at least there shouldn't be because all your lines should be running at about the same depth. At least that is what is supposed to happen, I think, I am a beginner also so will someone who is more experienced either back me up on this or tell me I am crazy for trying to help. And if you keep practicing on chipping out the ends then you will be able to clean this up a lot better. Practice, practice, and practice. That is about the best advice I can give you until I know more myself.
 

Big Ed

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2015
Messages
22
Location
Tampa, FL
Ok, thanks, I played around with some serifs for roman lettering and I think I understand what you are saying. On the serif ends, I can lower the graver angle at the end so it climbs out gradually, resulting in the two intersecting lines blending together as a tapered point. On the right angle intersections, if I am careful then each line cuts the end of the other line clean. Here's an attempt at the top of an "E":

serif.JPG
 
Last edited:

JOEYS CARVED ART

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2013
Messages
224
Location
West Virginia
This is looking much better, I think you understand what needs to be done. Like I said before, practice a lot then this will come natural to you, your ends will start to come out fine without even thinking about it. I am still learning myself, as a matter of fact I think we all are still learning.
 

JJ Roberts

:::Pledge Member:::
::::Pledge Member::::
Joined
Nov 10, 2006
Messages
3,457
Location
Manassas, VA
Big Ed,When I teach H&C its the onglette that I show students how to use and sharpen when sharpen properly the onglette will cut scrolls,boarders and with push engraving when doing game scene animals & birds.Only use square graver's with power,hope this is helpful. J.J.
 

Latest posts

Sponsors

Top