Watch graver

deazyner

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For all you watch engravers out there, I am wondering what is your graver geometry of choice? I would like to give it a shot in the near future and would like a starting point. Thanks,
Keith
 

Southern Custom

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The bottom line is what works for me won't be the same for you. I use a 96 or 105 deg for 90% of what I do so if I cut a watch that's likely where I'd start. 10 different engravers will have 10 different opinions.
If you've never cut anything on that scale before I'd suggest laying out the pattern you'll want to use, actual size on some 416 stainless and try cutting it. Watches involves cutting on a micro scale. Find a graver you like and use it. It will probably be the one you use for all your stainless work. You will want smaller gravers but that's the only constant.
The question of "which graver geometry" is one that regularly comes up with beginners. outside of a few special circumstances, no one can answer the question of what to use for you. You must answer that one through experimentation.
Grab some stainless, draw it up and have some fun. Good luck!
 

Andrew Biggs

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That’s really simple to answer

90, 105, 110, 120 heels and no heel. Parallel heel, normal heel and Lindsay heel…………..45 to 55 degree face and sometimes a 60. GRS C-Max, Glensteel, Lindsay Gravers, Tira Mitchell gravers and whoever else sells them.

GRS Dual angle sharpener, Easygraver fixtures, Lindsay fixtures, Tira fixtures and no fixtures, just by hand.

They are all used cutting watches.

There’s no starting point, right or wrong………..it all depends on the metal being engraved. Most watches are 316L stainless and that can vary considerably. Rolex metal is in a league of it’s own. Some watches are a pleasure to cut and others are downright miserable.

It also depends on what you are trying to achieve. Wide bold cuts, narrow cuts. Often the complexity of the design dictates the width of the graver because watches are small areas to work on and you can cram a lot of detail into them.

Pick the graver you are familiar with and use that one as a starting point.

So as you can see……….the answer is very simple :)

Cheers
Andrew
 

allan621

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The standard starting point for me is a piece of copper with the potential design transferred to it. By working it out on a practice piece you'll figure out which tools you feel comfortable using. Or finding different tools if the first selection doesn't achieve the cuts your looking for. Then if the watch is stainless transferring the design to a harder piece of practice plate to see what geometry works for you . Kind of no way around this in my experience. And after engraving over 40 years I do the same thing when cutting unfamiliar pieces I haven't worked on before.

When someone asks me how I learned engraving I always say that I've learned the most in learning what not to do twice.

good luck

Allan
 

deazyner

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Stratford, CT
Thanks for everybody's input. I bought a blank watch case from a supplier that is 316L stainless. I didn't want to do test cuts on it and ruin it hence my question regarding graver geometry. Based on the comments, I think I will try to find some old 316L watch parts that I can test different things.

Thanks again,
Keith
 

Southern Custom

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I can tell you from experience that the 316 will likely be some nasty steel to cut. Any of the 300 series stainless are very hard and quirky to cut. Rarely much fun.
 

monk

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That’s really simple to answer

90, 105, 110, 120 heels and no heel. Parallel heel, normal heel and Lindsay heel…………..45 to 55 degree face and sometimes a 60. GRS C-Max, Glensteel, Lindsay Gravers, Tira Mitchell gravers and whoever else sells them.

GRS Dual angle sharpener, Easygraver fixtures, Lindsay fixtures, Tira fixtures and no fixtures, just by hand.

They are all used cutting watches.

There’s no starting point, right or wrong………..it all depends on the metal being engraved. Most watches are 316L stainless and that can vary considerably. Rolex metal is in a league of it’s own. Some watches are a pleasure to cut and others are downright miserable.

It also depends on what you are trying to achieve. Wide bold cuts, narrow cuts. Often the complexity of the design dictates the width of the graver because watches are small areas to work on and you can cram a lot of detail into them.

Pick the graver you are familiar with and use that one as a starting point.

So as you can see……….the answer is very simple :)

Cheers
Andrew
sakes alive !! that really narrows the choice by quite a lot !
 

Andrew Biggs

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sakes alive !! that really narrows the choice by quite a lot !

Yep!!!! It certainly does.

I've used most of them and settled on the 105 and 120 round 1.8 C-Max carbide sharpened in the Easygraver fixtures. But I know engravers that use different combinations of all of the above. So it's just a matter of personal preference.

The thing is that people get hung up on what geometry? What gravers? what tools? what this? what that? etc etc, etc. When none of that is important because they all work.

What is important is to chuck something in the vise and go hard on it. Make the mistakes, learn from the experience and figure out what works for them and what doesn't. Nothing beats hands on personal experience. :)

Cheers
Andrew
 

monk

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Yep!!!! It certainly does.

I've used most of them and settled on the 105 and 120 round 1.8 C-Max carbide sharpened in the Easygraver fixtures. But I know engravers that use different combinations of all of the above. So it's just a matter of personal preference.

The thing is that people get hung up on what geometry? What gravers? what tools? what this? what that? etc etc, etc. When none of that is important because they all work.

What is important is to chuck something in the vise and go hard on it. Make the mistakes, learn from the experience and figure out what works for them and what doesn't. Nothing beats hands on personal experience. :)

Cheers
Andrew

quite right you are. when i first joined the forum i used a 90 and flats. 45 mostly. thanks to the forum i've tried every imanageable geometry/graver combo. i don't engrave much anymore, when i do, it's back to my old favorites.
 
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