Hammer & chisel demo by Sam 2016

Sam · Dec 26, 2016

I've always engraved standing up when using hammer & chisel, but I did it sitting down for this demonstration. Seemed to work ok. Not such an interesting video, but here it is for those who are curious.

The chisel is a hand sharpened square with about a 20-25Â° heel and 40-45Â° face, which is the main chisel I used for 20+ years back in the day.

[video]https://youtu.be/yffI-qd28Ys[/video]

Mike Frakes · Dec 26, 2016

Sam Thanks for taking time to create and post this video. You may be rusty but still managed to create some very nice work. I have always wanted to see someone engrave with hammer and chisel but never had the opportunity. I'm sure glad I started after the power engravers were invented.

Mike

Mark Knapp · Dec 26, 2016

Very cool Sam, thanks for letting us see that

Mike_Morgan · Dec 26, 2016

That's always great to watch! Are there any videos of shading being done with H&C?

Sam · Dec 27, 2016

Mike_Morgan said:
That's always great to watch! Are there any videos of shading being done with H&C?

I shade in this one Mike. https://youtu.be/FQkei7opfBE

Sam · Dec 27, 2016

Mike Frakes said:
Sam Thanks for taking time to create and post this video. You may be rusty but still managed to create some very nice work. I have always wanted to see someone engrave with hammer and chisel but never had the opportunity. I'm sure glad I started after the power engravers were invented.

Mike

Thanks Mike

Give it a try sometime. Kind of satisfying to engrave that way. I'm also very glad to have a power system!

SamW · Dec 27, 2016

I started with H&C in '67 and bought a Gravermeister in late '74 and never looked back as they say. However, there was always a mystique feeling with the H&C work, like your whole body was such a part of the cutting/art. Uses a lot of body English. This was always done standing as Sam A says and I never tried H&C sitting. I was one of the early vocal advocates for pneumatic power but have always missed that mystique of the H&C. However, the results I get far outweigh the loss.

Sam · Dec 27, 2016

Same here Sam W. I don't really miss it, but it's kind of cool to dust off the chisels once in awhile and give it a go.

I should clarify that for awhile I did have a sit-down arrangement where I turned my vise with a kickwheel. That was really nice for H&C work. What I did in the video was was use my standard engraving vise setup and nothing special. The only thing I changed was the objective lens on my microscope because I use a 0.4 which gives me about 8" of working distance, and that puts the hammer & chisel too low for comfortable work. I switched objectives for a 6" working distance and that was a lot better.

Roger Bleile · Dec 27, 2016

Sam,

Were you turning the vise with your right hand?

AliAtiyabi · Dec 27, 2016

Thanks you very much for sharing it Sam. It's great.

We still use chisel and hammer in Iran although the chisel and way of holding it differs but the result is the same. But when the size of the work is big like the one I posted here ( sizes like 86x66 cm) holding the chisel like your will be very difficult.

John B. · Dec 27, 2016

Beautifully done Sam. Thank you for a great demo.
You are not only a Master Engraver you are a Master of demonstrating it. Great photography and learning tool.
There are so many minor cutting moves that you make that need to be studied.
Also the sound cadence of your hammer for beginning H&C folks to note and study.

dimovengraving · Dec 27, 2016

Great video, thank you Sam ! :thumbsup:

Evgeni

Brian Trace · Dec 27, 2016

Sam,
I note in your second H&C video that you were perhaps using a bench rotating / swivelling vice, and also note that Italian engravers tend to stand and use a vice that clamps vertically like a large pair of tweezers. What is the name of that type of vice please?

Sam · Dec 27, 2016

Roger Bleile said:
Sam,

Were you turning the vise with your right hand?

I had to think for a minute Roger, but I'd say the majority of the time I was turning the vise with my right hand as there are a few times when the chisel in my left hand stayed in the cut during rotation. I'll pay closer attention to that next time!

Sam · Dec 27, 2016

John B. said:
Beautifully done Sam. Thank you for a great demo.
You are not only a Master Engraver you are a Master of demonstrating it. Great photography and learning tool.
There are so many minor cutting moves that you make that need to be studied.
Also the sound cadence of you hammer for beginning H&C folks to note and study.

Thank you for your kind words, John

The hammer's sound certainly does provide feedback as to how the cut's progressing as well as changing. I remember when McKenzie was training me he yelled from across the workshop "It sounds good, Sam" as I was tapping away. He could tell that I was making a good connection with the metal from across the room, but at the time I didn't understand why he said that!

Sam · Dec 27, 2016

Brian Trace said:
Sam,
I note in your second H&C video that you were perhaps using a bench rotating / swivelling vice, and also note that Italian engravers tend to stand and use a vice that clamps vertically like a large pair of tweezers. What is the name of that type of vice please?

Brian: For this video I was using my normal setup of GRS Low Profile vise and GRS turntable. In the previous video when I was standing I was using a vise I bought in Italy back in the 80s, and the company name is CUTER. I bought it directly at the factory which was outside of Brescia. Maybe you can find some info on them. I believe they made many cast iron products, not just engraving vises.

Brian Trace · Dec 27, 2016

Many thanks Sam....just looking to try a set-up somewhat different from my GRS ball vice and turntable. The idea of standing certainly has merits and my engraving bench is high enough for me to try another fixture and posture.

Sam · Dec 27, 2016

Brian Trace said:
Many thanks Sam....just looking to try a set-up somewhat different from my GRS ball vice and turntable. The idea of standing certainly has merits and my engraving bench is high enough for me to try another fixture and posture.

I think a ball vise is fine, but the heavier the better, especially when using a lot of force to break a heavy chip off. My Low Profile vise is slightly too light but I can make it work just fine. The Magnablock would be a better choice. The Italian vise is great, but there's no tilting feature.

Big-Un · Dec 27, 2016

Your demo brought back memories of when I first started. When the video started, my wife stopped what she was doing and gave me "the look!" I had the sound on and the tap-tap-tap, silence, tap-tap-tap was NOT what she wanted to hear right then! She heard that for hours when I first began engraving in the late seventies as I didn't have a place to engrave, only the dining room while she tried to watch TV in the living room. Also, when I met Ken Hurst the first time around 2004 the first thing he had me do was cut practice plates (lines, not designs) and listened from the other side of the room. After a while he deemed me worthy and we became good friends and he taught me some subtle nuances of the craft and helped me overcome some of my fears of engraving in such an unforgiving medium. And yes, I still use H&C occasionally.

Hammer & chisel demo by Sam 2016

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