Question: Graver loading

LVCIAN

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Sep 1, 2016
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St. Louis, MO
I've spent some time on-line, in the tips section, and tried several searches. So, I'll just ask you all...

What is your preferred lubricant to prevent graver loading?

Do you have specific lubricants you prefer based on the metal you are cutting? Or for HSS vs. Carbide gravers?
 

Brian Marshall

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Nov 9, 2006
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Stockton, California & Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico
I use a 50/50 mixture of kerosene & Tap Magic for Aluminum as a general lubricant - but then I am cutting mostly precious metals...

I can tell you for a fact that the stuff does not taste very good, should you for some reason decide to hold a graver in your mouth because you haven't got 3 hands.

Others on here are likely gonna have different preferences - or prefer to cut "dry"?


Do stay away from "Oil of Wintergreen" which somehow got to be a customary engravers lubricant in the last 50 years.

There was once an oil company specialist in one of my classes who stated that you might as well use spit or snot as oil of wintergreen - because they had about the same lubricant qualities...


Brian
 

LVCIAN

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Location
St. Louis, MO
I have been hand pushing on cartridge brass this weekend and it seems to be sticking to my tools much more than copper. Which feels counter intuitive.
 

dogcatcher

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Oct 6, 2013
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Abilene TX Ruidoso NM
I am strictly a hobbyist, I use Ed's red bore cleaner, a home made concoction for cleaning rifle bores. http://www.handloads.com/articles/?id=9
CONTENTS: Ed's Red Bore Cleaner

1 part Dexron II, IIe or III ATF, GM Spec. D-20265 or later.

1 part Kerosene - deodorized, K1

1 part Aliphatic Mineral Spirits, Fed. Spec. TT-T-2981F, CAS
#64741-49-9, or may substitute "Stoddard Solvent", CAS #8052-41-3, or
equivalent, (aka "Varsol")

1 part Acetone, CAS #67-64-1.

(Optional up to 1 lb. of Lanolin, Anhydrous, USP per gallon, OK to
substitute Lanolin, Modified, Topical Lubricant, from the drug store)

Its cheap, I always have a can on hand and I also use it as a tap and die cutting fluid. I got the idea to use it as tap and die from a machinist that told me to use a mix of automatic transmission fluid and power steering fluid as a cutting agent. I tried some of his mix, liked it, and I ran out and tried my bore cleaner. I couldn't tell any difference so I never made up any of the simple ATF and PS fluid mix.
 

Sam

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Nov 6, 2006
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Covington, Louisiana
I use whatever oil is within reach. Household oil, cutting oil, tap magic, gun oil, sewing machine oil, etc. I can't see any difference it any of them for my work (mostly precious metal, some steel and some brass), but tap magic does seem to flow very quickly into the cuts where the thicker oils do not. Again, I don't notice any difference in graver performance in one over the other. They all reduce friction and I use oil mainly when doing heavy cutting.
 

monk

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washington, pa
I've spent some time on-line, in the tips section, and tried several searches. So, I'll just ask you all...

What is your preferred lubricant to prevent graver loading?

Do you have specific lubricants you prefer based on the metal you are cutting? Or for HSS vs. Carbide gravers?

i'm not sure if it prevents graver loading, i have given up on all the "magic" solutions, and just use kerosene, or 3-in-one oil. i made a copper bowl 1.25" in dia. i put some kleenex type tissue in the bowl. add enough oil or kero to just saturate the tissue. my oil bowl is well within arms reach when i cut. btw-- about the only metal i need it for is aluminum and some brass alloys.
 

Big-Un

~ Elite 1000 Member ~
Joined
Nov 10, 2006
Messages
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Location
Eden, NC
Don't know if it makes any difference what you use, and after saying that, I have a small plastic jar (about 1" diameter) with the cotton ball from an aspirin bottle saturated with graver lube from NgravR I purchased more than 20 years ago. I stick the tip in it and wipe it off with my finger so it won't load up with fluid.
 

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