Question: Parallel heel vs regular heel

Can someone explain the different uses for the use of a parallel heel graver and a regular heel graver. I noticed in another thread that Andrew said he uses only a couple of graver angles most of the time and listed them in both regular and parallel heel. I have been using Lindsay templates (parallel heel) to sharpen and have Sam's DVD on graver sharpening. Sam uses GRS dual angle sharpener and grinds a regular heel. Are there situations where one would be an advantage over the other etc.? Thanks in advance for any responses to this question.
Cheers
Don

Since the parallel heel runs parallel to the face, you can't run out of heel when cutting really deep (although I never run out of heel with a conventional heel). It also performs well on flare cutting. I've never been a big fan of the parallel heel...and by that I mean I'd never seen a noticeable advantage for the work that I do, but I now use the EasyGraver 120 and 105 fixtures which produce a nearly parallel heel and am quite happy with the way the gravers perform. I can also use a conventional heel and be equally happy with that. YMMV.

I will agree with Sam. I mostly engrave guns and see no advantage of one over the other. If I was setting stones or doing a lot of flair cutting I would think a parallel heel might help. I use both as I also have an EasyGraver fixture in the 105 but I use the same fixture to sharpen 90 degree gravers in a regular heel as the tilt angle is the same.

I have noticed that with the parallel heel you get less heel strike at the back of the graver. By heel stoke I mean that the back of the heel doesn't over cut at the back. Give it a try and you'll see what I mean.

Plus the EasyGraver fixture makes sharpening a real breeze. Especially with the 1.8mm C-Max gravers.

I've also noticed that the parallel heel wants to cut deeper. But that just may be me

For flare cutting I tend to use a conventional heel because I find that you can cut a very wide cut without having to roll the graver too far. But again, that could just be me.

All of this is entirley subjective to the person using the graver. At the end of the day it's just different strokes for different folks. Everyone has their "go to" graver that seems to work best for them and they are comfortable with. Phil Coggan uses his bulino style graver. Martin Strolz uses his ongletts. A fabulous watch engraver I met in Switzerland uses a flat for all his main cuts. Another Asian watch engraver uses a graver geometry that was like nothing I've ever seen before and his work was to die for................it's not the tool. It's the person driving the tool

Cheers
Andrew

I forgot to mention.........There are a few tricks you can employ to prolong the life of a graver.

But............all of the above configurations have three thing in common.

1. They all break .

2. They all get dull

3. They all have to be resharpened

Cheers
Andrew

fegarex said:

I will agree with Sam. I mostly engrave guns and see no advantage of one over the other. If I was setting stones or doing a lot of flair cutting I would think a parallel heel might help. I use both as I also have an EasyGraver fixture in the 105 but I use the same fixture to sharpen 90 degree gravers in a regular heel as the tilt angle is the same.

Click to expand...

So Rex would you please elaborate on your technique of creating a 90 using the 105 fixture??

Andrew Biggs said:

I forgot to mention.........There are a few tricks you can employ to prolong the life of a graver.

But............all of the above configurations have three thing in common.

1. They all break .

2. They all get dull

3. They all have to be resharpened

Cheers
Andrew

Click to expand...

What tricks are you referring to Andrew??

I've heard more than one engraver say they prefer a standard heel for hand pushing. And Andrew is spot on about the parallels qualities and quirks. I use it almost exclusively but one does have to learn to control depth.
In the end I much prefer the advice that Phil Coggan gave recently. Something to the effect of " I don't know about heel angles and whatnot, I just sharpen it and it cuts"
I think many new engravers get way too hung up on graver geometry. Unless you are honing in on the perfect lettering technique or shading style, a 96deg parallel heel engraver will do 96 percent of what you want to do. 10 years ago I used a flat for most of my work. Learn to control it and any graver will do the job.
Layne

Why rest importance to technology if can help you in make your job in a more easy way or to improve in your work ?
Personally i think that knowledged about geometry and understand them is important.

Hi Silverchip

The tricks I refer to are just the usual that we have all discussed before.

For instance.........the Easygraver has a face of 45 degrees. This allows you to see the work clearly and is perfect for softer metals like gold, silver, soft brass etc etc. But on the tougher metals I find it breaks easily. So after sharpening the graver I put a very small 55 degree face on the graver using the dual angle sharpener. This gives the graver tip more strength and makes it last longer.

The other thing I do is to dub the point by drawing an M on a ceramic lap. Hold the graver at roughly 90 degrees over the lap and draw the M very, very lightly. I don't do this for shading as I like the point to be as sharp as possible.

Of course all of this is bog standard stuff.

The other thing you can do with the C-Max carbide is to polish it on the ceramic lap while the lap is still wet with the diamond spray. This helps prevent chipping of the graver edges which can happen sometimes if the ceramic is dry. I have a tendency to heel my C-Max carbides with a ceramic lap. I find the polish makes the graver last longer. On this point there is some debate amongst other engravers but for me it seems to work the best.

Another trick with the GRS EasyGraver system is that you can shape up a 105 graver.........and heel it with the 120 easygraver. This will give you a perfect conventional heel at approximately 105. All of which is quick and easy as the QC holder just snap in and out.

I've just finished fully engraving a 316L stainless watch where I did all the main cuts without having to resharpen the C-Max carbide using the above methods. And of course there are other times where it all turns to crap and no matter what you do to the points, they just keep breaking. Ahhhhh, the Yin and the Yang of it all

And of course there are all the little things like slightly rounding the corners of flats used to remove backgrounds. This will prolong the life of the graver. Raising the heel and rocking it will give you better clearance to preserve the surrounding cuts.

Cheers
Andrew

Thanks Andrew!!

Silverchip,
Like Andrew said of the 120 is similar for the 105 Easygraver fixture. The "roll" angle needed for a full length heel on a 105 is roughly 45 degrees which is the same needed for a standard heel on a 90 degree graver.

apparently our good friend and forum contributor, mr andrew biggs- has failed to use the potato method for his gravers. using the potato trick, yes, they will break- but- no, they wont go dull ! then, too, idaho potatoes may not be available in new zealand. andrew, if you like, i'll mail a couple to you.

Actually I would use a sugar beet instead of a potato because it has a higher tensile strength for use on exotic tool steel.New Trick!!!!!

Is it possible for some one to post a picture of a parelell heel next to conventional heel as I dont know which one im using....... I know I should know. But I dont : (

The conventional heal will look like little triangles on the underside of the point.
Parallel heal looks like an even light on the heal from the tip the full length of you cutting edge.

This is the parallel heel http://airgraver.com/graver_point_geometry.htm

and this the standard heel :
http://www.grstools.com/PDF/LIT-Class_Sharpening.pdf
loom the 90v geometry