Western Bright Cut Tutorial

Brian Hochstrat

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2006
Messages
708
Location
Midvale, Id
Bright cut scroll cutting sequence.

1. I have wriggled the backbone, I used a 37 flat 40 deg. face and no heel or a very low angled heel I use the low hand technique and over exaggerate the wrist roll to get this type of look. Keep the edge of the tool on the outside edge of my guide line. Also I have made the 1st cut of the 3 step sequence the "backhand cut". I use a 45 flat with the heel rolled from 20-5 deg. highly polished. The cut should be broke off squarely at the end.
2. This is the bright cut, to make the bullnose ending at the end of the cut, drop your hand and kick the graver up and to the northeast, if you are facing north. The rolled heel helps with a clean leave. Stop your cut short of the backbone to give room for the "cap cut".
3. This is the "cap cut". It lines the bright cut, It should be somewhat light, I have a bad habit of getting them to heavy, it should just accent and crispen the edge of your bright cut.
4. Here are all the cuts with leaf size tapering in size as you go, the last cut is a "combo cut" it has a backhand and bright cut but no cap cut.
5. Here are the "closer cuts", The first is just a variation, note the last closer next to the nob should cross the backhand cut. Also the crescent cut is added to accent the nob.
6. Here is the finishing sequence for the nob. Snap the cuts off squarely at the end.
7. Here is the start of lining, I use a 18-10 bent liner with face rounded for ease of cornering. I start with one tooth in the metal at the thin end of the leaf and roll it flat as the leaf thickens.
8. Here all the leaves are lined, keep in mind the lining should flow smoothly with the leaves. Keep only the teeth of graver cutting, you should see several fine peels coming out of the metal as you are cutting
9. Here is the cross hatching, to achieve this stand the tool at a high angle, with the corner in the metal and give your vise a turn as you roll the tool flat creating more lines as it turns, I use a 28-8 for this.
 

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Brian Hochstrat

Elite Cafe Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2006
Messages
708
Location
Midvale, Id
Bright cut flower cutting sequence.

1. For this flower layout, I used a 1/2" circle on the outer and a 3/32" on the inner. It has been scribed for visual purposes only. I typically use transfer wax and a pencil, but whatever layout technique you prefer will probably work just fine.
2. Next I cut the center. Follow the guide line with the outer edge of the tool as you turn roll the tool flat and snap the chip off squarely at the end. I tend to leave a bit of metal uncut in the center to give more of a fan blade look, but you can make the entire center bright if you prefer, by just making wider cut.
3. Here the center is finished and one side of the petals are cut, the taper is achieved by both rolling the graver and increasing the depth of cut.Cutting one side at a time helps to keep a consistent cut from one to the next.
4. The other side has been cut. Being sure to snap the chip out squarely.
5. This is "S" cut, start on the outside corner or the tool, roll it flat, to get the bull nose end, as you end the cut drop your hand and scoop the graver up out of the metal as if you were scooping ice cream.
6. Here the "S" has been capped. Start lightly, follow the contour of the S and end just short of the petal cut.
7. The shading is done with a flutter tool which is a graver with a radiused and sharped end. Stand the tool on end and rock it back and forth as you turn the vise. Leaning the tool over at a slight angle will give a curved affect. The end of the tool has a radius and a knife like edge. The more radius the more hand movement is required to walk the tool
8-9. There are countless variations, not only in flower shape and cutting combinations, but even changing the center or, your flutter pattern will give a different look.
The tools I most commonly use are an 18-10 bent liner, with a radiused face, 28-8 for crosshatching. For the bright cut a square graver used flat works well and are easy to square up in the sharpening fixture, but sometimes there are finger clearance issues, so a 45 flat is also a good choice. The flutter tool is described above, but think of a flat cold chisel, but with a slight radias to the cutting edge.
 

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Zukiidesigns

New Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2017
Messages
4
Well, I am not sure I really have the years of experience to put much weight behind a tutorial, but Diane Scalese taught me bright cutting and she is a good teacher, so here goes.
1. I have wriggled the backbone, I used a 37 flat 40 deg. face and no heel I use the low hand technique and over exagerate the wrist roll to get this type of look. I wriggle counterclockwise and keep the edge of the tool on the outside edge of my guide line. Also I have made the 1st cut the 3 step sequence the "backhand cut". I use a 45 flat with the heel rolled from 20-5 deg. highly polished. It should be broke off squarely at the end of the cut.
2. This is the bright cut, to make the bullnose ending, at the end of the cut drop your hand and kick the graver up and to the northeast, if you are facing north. The rolled heel helps with a clean leave. Stop your cut short of the backbone to give room for the "capcut".
3. This is the "cap cut". It lines the bright cut, It should be somewhat light, I have a bad habit of getting them to heavy, it should just accent and crispen the edge of your bright cut.
4. Here are all the cuts with leaf size tapering in size as you go, the last cut is a "combo cut" it has a backhand and bright cut but no cap cut.
5. Here are the "closer cuts", The first is just a variation, note the last closer next to the nob should cross the backhand cut. Also the "smiley cut" (Dianes term not mine) is added to accent the nob.
6. Here is the finishing sequence for the nob. Snap the cuts off squarely at the end.
7. Here is the start of lining, I use a 18-10 bent liner with face rounded for ease of cornering. I start with one tooth in the metal at the thin end of the leaf and roll it flat as the leaf thickens.
8. Here all the leaves are lined, keep in mind the lining must flow smoothly with the leaves. Keep only the teeth of graver cutting, you should have several fine peels coming out of the metal.
9. Here is the cross hatching, to achieve this stand the tool, a 28-8, on end with the corner in the metal and give your vise a turn, roll the tool flat as you go.
I hope this is helpful, and I hope Diane get her computer fixed so she can log in and give you her expertise, she is a Master bright cutter, and her skills as a teacher are as good as her engraving. She could also critique my plate and show you some things not to do as well.:eek:

Hi Brian,

Are there any pictures for this tutorial. Thanks!
 

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