For those of you using a power hone

Dad of 3 · Apr 2, 2015

What grit stones do you have? What do you end with for hss gravers for a cut you will darken?
What do you use to polish the gravers with for a brightcut?

Mike Fennell · Apr 2, 2015

As a minimum you will need 600 and 1200 for cutting faces and heels, plus one of the following for polishing heels: ceramic or cast iron wheel with 1/4 or 1/2 micron diamond spray or paste, or a ruby stone, or a leather pad -- shoe-sole leather or a section of an old leather belt will suffice -- with the diamond or Simichrome or JB bore polish applied. The ruby stone seems to give the best polish on carbide.

To quickly grind graver blanks down to the proper dimensions: 80, 100, 180 or 260 grit diamond wheel will speed the process. Or one of each if you can afford them all.

If you are going to apply paint or ink, 600 grit is fine enough for your HSS gravers.

atexascowboy2011 · Apr 2, 2015

Ryan,
Take a piece of 4/0 sandpaper and laying a #2 pencil on it's side, coat an area about 1" Ã—4" with the graphite.
Then stroke the graver belly back and forth.
This if for a final polish after using the others.

Brian Marshall · Apr 2, 2015

Unless of course the graver is made of one of the extraplanetary carbide alloys with a fancy name...

In which case you will dig a nice trench in the leather to no avail using Simichrome, and quickly strip the sandpaper of both the lead and the abrasive.

Diamond on leather in the hands of a beginner yields a more interesting rounded/rolled cornered heel that you may find pretty useless. JMO

Dig a little more to find out how to make crisp/sharp heels... use the search button right under the red "CAFE" up at the top.

Brian

Dad of 3 · Apr 3, 2015

Thanks guys

atexascowboy2011 · Apr 3, 2015

You place the sandpaper on a hard surface, such as a sheet of Delrin, which prevents the "DIGGING IN".
And as I stated before, this is a FINAL polish after honing down with the coarser grits/stones."
Toothpaste on newspaper works as good or better than most commercially available techniques for achieving an ultra high finish /luster. Just ain't as technically advanced.

World famous farrier, Bernie Chapman (Mr. Founder), recommended feeding horses DL Methionine to aid in the rebinding of tissue in foundered horses. At $00.35 a day people wouldn't use it, BUT !, they stood in line when his Farriers Formula/Secret ?, came out, which consisted of a bunch of inert filler and a pinch of the DL Methionine AND cost them out the wazoo !
As Bernie would say, "Go Figure !".

Kevin Scott · Apr 3, 2015

For a mirror polish I use a plastic CD disc, 4'', with a small amount of diamond paste, over a 5'' 2000 grit diamond disc in the power hone.

When resharpening, I use the one inch of the 2000 disc that is exposed to remove a chip etc, then the CD disc for mirror finish.

Used 1200 grit diamond paste, which did leave lines, but did break down after about 2 minutes of use to a grit that leaves a mirror polish. Just started this system after recently buying a GRS dual angle fixture. So far have polished about 15 gravers, and no sign that more diamond compound is needed. Will polish the face in about 10 seconds or less.

Then one swipe about 2'' long on each angle parallel to the cutting edge with 5/0 emery paper on glass to remove any burrs etc. End up with sharp crisp edges.

Got the tip on using the CD disc from the engraving forums, forget who, where.

Brian Marshall · Apr 3, 2015

Jeff, when I use sandpaper for carbon or HSS polishing it's rubber cemented to a sheet of glass.

If you are going to use a form of "sandpaper" on the carbides yer gonna hafta be using a diamond paper - not emery...

B.

atexascowboy2011 · Apr 3, 2015

I was talking about HSS for bright cutting, which is what direction Ryan was looking at.
And, I assume he is using HSS since he is just getting his feet wet in learning sharpening/cutting.

The 4/0 that I use IS paper, not cloth backed.
Sans glue, as to me it would cause ridges/bunching giving the graver a place to bite

This method was taught to me by a retired professional jeweler/engraver, who does strictly HP.

But, as the old saying goes,"There is more ... a cat.".

Lonestarr · Apr 3, 2015

After you use a 3000 diamond plated wheel for a while the diamond surface breaks down some....So the disk grit number starts climbing to give an ultra polish....I have a 3000 unused disk and 1 that has a lot of wear on it, you can tell a real difference between the two....

Bob

Dad of 3 · Apr 3, 2015

Thanks guys! My son and I decided to just stick with stones for now. When we get relocated and I have a real shop again (more room) I will go with a power hone.

For those of you using a power hone

Dad of 3

Elite Cafe Member

Mike Fennell

Elite Cafe Member

atexascowboy2011

Elite Cafe Member

Brian Marshall

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

Dad of 3

Elite Cafe Member

atexascowboy2011

Elite Cafe Member

Kevin Scott

Elite Cafe Member

Brian Marshall

~ Elite 1000 Member ~

atexascowboy2011

Elite Cafe Member

Lonestarr

Elite Cafe Member

Dad of 3

Elite Cafe Member

Latest posts

Sponsors