Lindsay Sharpening Templates

Mike_Morgan

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So let me tug on your coat for a couple of minutes here, and do a sort of semi-intelligible emotional rant about the hardship of learning how to engrave at the ripe old age of 59....

I love engraving... I really enjoy looking at a finished piece (not that I have actually finished any, mind you) and I just love the look of it, it enhances objects that are already wonderful and takes them to the next level.

And I'm a pretty handy guy with pretty good hand skills, though I've never been much of an illustrator. I can draw a little, as needed, I can hold my own in pictionary, so I've got that going for me.

So I decide to try my hand at engraving... I managed to get some pretty good tools, pro-level stuff... And I took some copper plates and damaged them badly forcing my artistic will upon them and rendering them into childish scrawl... But man, this is hard!

My stuff looks childish... and of course the answer is... "But Mike, you have to learn how to DRAW first"... great... it's not enough to have to learn graver technique... I have to DRAW, TOO? So I practice drawing scrolls and leaves, and Asian art (such as it is) and I'm feeling pretty good about that, until I realize it's hard to get that drawing ONTO the metal so I can cut some lines...

FINE... I'll draw right on the metal over Chinese White... Got it... yet another thing I had to learn.

So, it's cutting time... And I watched 200 YouTube videos and noticed the tools that pros use seem to cut cleaner and deeper than mine... I ask for advice and of course...

"MIKE... You have to learn how to SHARPEN the tools"....

Sigh... I have a Crocker Fixture, I'm sure it's great. People have used them for a century, I guess... It's useless in my unskilled hands.

Oooooooh..... what have we here? The Steve Lindsay engraver sharpening templates... Wait WHAT? Those two little pieces of plastic cost HOW MUCH? You must be joking... If those work, sure, it would be worth it... but.... Yeah... that's a lot of dough for a couple pieces of plexi... YES I KNOW I'm paying for "the design" and the "function" but jeepers... it's a couple bucks worth of... right... I get it, I'll quit complaining.

SO I GET these "mystical marvels of Steve Lindsay prowess" and I took a 3/32" HSS engraver blank and set forth to make some universal whatever bit, and it was SO EASY! The complaints about the price are over and done with, this is actually working to hog-out a graver with more facets than the Hope Diamond and heels and you-name-it.... and well, I went from 200 up to 2000 on the diamond stones, rubbed it across my black Arkansas stone... then hit the strop... and chucked the bit into my Airgraver Classic.

SO let's step back a bit and mention that I am a creature of habit... and I tend to "wipe" my cutting tools before starting a cut to make sure there is no debris, etcetera on the cutting edge.... And JUST before starting my engraving, I "wiped" my newly minted graver bit... and it was at THAT MOMENT that I saw the value of the Lindsay templates... because that sucker is RAZOR SHARP and I SLICED my left-hand middle finger open with absolutely NO resistance whatsoever. I mean... 1.5" of sliced open hand wound that I did not even FEEL until it was too late.

Yeah... these templates work. Tool = SHARP.

One of these day's I'm going to cut some metal instead of myself.

:eek:
 
Last edited:

Ragnarok

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Feb 22, 2016
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Location
Denison,Texas
I know exactly how you feel. I did the same thing the first time I used Steve's templates. I keep a small, dry sponge close to me now to wipe graver on. I also have a bad habit of holding the engraving vise jaws too high. I haven't stabbed my hand from slipping, bit did get a nice slice or two in my left hand from not paying attention.
 

quickcut07

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Ontario Canada
Well you said you needed to draw. I'm now guessing blood was not at the top of the list. I have done similar foolish acts while handling gravers. Almost dropped my Palm graver to the floor' a valiant and act with a quick hand and it was saved from a blemish scar on the burl handle or worse. Saved the palm control unit not the hand. No sever cut but smacked it and scared the back of the arm. Don't dare tell a knifemaker that they will all tell you' the knife can be fixed.
Glad to hear things are coming around. I thing finding the things that work for you are half the joy. The Lindsay sharpening system is great. Simple and gets the job done. Could probably fill a few pages with work shop horror storys.
Gravers are sharp, so are the edges of the vise.

Eric
 

Bob A

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Mike Morgan quoth, in part:

I tend to "wipe" my cutting tools before starting a cut to make sure there is no debris, etcetera on the cutting edge.... And JUST before starting my engraving, I "wiped" my newly minted graver bit...

One of these day's I'm going to cut some metal instead of myself.

:eek:

To prevent myself from performing surgery on my left hand in that way, I buy "poster putty" from any office supply place and place a glob of it where it's convenient. I just stick the graver into it before cutting; it removes chips and that nasty powdered metal. Gave up on "de-magnetizing".

Learning to engrave for me was an effort of blood, sweat and tears... Mainly blood. :)

Bob
 

Texasgerd

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Jan 26, 2012
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Panama City Florida
All I can think is "congrats". You're over the hump with your first combat engraving wound!
The first time is always the most shocking, and there is many more to come.
Some advice: Don't leave a blood trail across the living room carpet. The spouse will not care at all about your wounded finger/hand or fine engraving.

Dan
 

Mike_Morgan

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Mar 17, 2016
Messages
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Location
Spencerport, NY
NEWSFLASH:
Sharp tools actually CUT the metal instead of beating it to submission... I am actually practicing making CONTROLLED cuts now instead of scrawling a line and pretending it's what I intended to do... I believe this is what is referred to in the trade as "progress".
 

Dave London

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Colorado
Now that you have discovered the red lay out fluid from sharp Gravers, do not try to wipe the chip off with your finger, or you will find more of it,
Practice and enjoy the journey :shock:
 

Eugene Carkoski

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Omaha, Ne.
It looks like you have the first days Lessons out of the way. The next 20 years are somewhat uphill, but it's enjoyable and fun.
 

Mike_Morgan

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Mar 17, 2016
Messages
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Spencerport, NY
It looks like you have the first days Lessons out of the way. The next 20 years are somewhat uphill, but it's enjoyable and fun.

I'm excited for the journey, There's a really long story about what sent me down this path, that I will share with this forum one day, but suffice to say I made a friend a promise that I fully intend on keeping, no matter how long it takes.
 

Dan W

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Dec 18, 2013
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Yuma, Arizona
Another smooth move! I sharpened several gravers in one sitting and was in the process of returning them to their original plastic two piece holder where I pushed a little too hard on the top of the container which collapsed very quickly. This, in turn, pushed the very sharp graver through the bottom of the container and then all the way through my left hand. Not good. Who knew how dangerous engraving could be. Maybe we can petition for some of those warning labels like "do not use this blow dryer while sleeping" for engraving tools.

Dan
 

Bob A

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Jan 25, 2014
Messages
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Don't get the red layout fluid on the steel, or it'll rust!
 

dlilazteca

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May 10, 2013
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Laredo, Texas
Good read, sorry about the cut, you should try being an author, cant wait to read your next chapter, good luck.

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