Well, some old Ebay Gravers arrived, 19ish to be precise. The down side is they are all ground at the wrong angles and dull with blunted ends.
Looks like my proverbial work is cut out for me.
Most likely, they'll remain so until you sharpen them. Hopefully, they won't be so short in length that they'll approach uselessness. I always wondered if these eBay deals were worth getting into.
I dont think there at the wrong angles, there just not at the angles you prefer, im sure they worked just fine for the previous owner, all you have to do is sharpen them. I have mostly used templates or grs dual angle fixture but as you progress there are times I sharpen by hand, for example in a custom curved graver like i see in your picture and my liners all shapened by hand. If memory serves me right, please verify, I think Sams sharpening dvd teaches you to sharpen by hand. Youll be just fine.
My first set of gravers came from Dixie Gun Works around 1973. The gravers cam in one pack and the wooden handles in another. I assumed they came sharpened like a knife or set of chisels would be!
Some of your gravers appear to be bent liners which only require face sharpening. The others will require heel and face sharpening. You might refer to my short video in the Tips Archive (Beta) section (click on the Forums link at the top) on the speitzer graver. It shows hand sharpening and hand pushing of that graver. That should get you started.
Using the SITE SEARCH button you should also find dozens of posts on graver sharpening. Keep in mind that sharpening for handpiece use is often very different than for hand push engraving.
i have purchased used ones on the bay. some were quite old. once sharpened, you'll have to test them. the ones you show may be too soft for steel. they all would do well on silver, copper, pewter, and soft stuff. many items they show there are so overpriced, it borders on criminal ! purchasing on the bay, one should take their time to avoid overpaying.
Sweet potatoes don't work.....like when I get "sweet" for my wife I get very soft hearted. The same for the potato thing, has to be "Irish potato" to be hard headed and tempered. Don't go banging on me about the Irish.....Moody is Irish and my wife says it fits me, period!!!