Bulino tool question

[D.M.]

In my last project I had to use some "bulino" shading. The piece was made of rather stiff and hard Stainless Steel. It was BUCK folder scale. For some reason this one happend to be harder than previous ones.
Anyway, when I stipple the background I have to resharpen the tip every2-3 minutes. I have carbide tip sharpened to about 90 degrees. It wears off fast and become "flat faced".

For the shading I needed even sharper tip and it breaks VERY fast.
I tried M42 steel for the tip, no good. Dulls in few strokes.

So the question is(are rather).
What material and angle is best for the fine shading of hard and tough steel?
are any specific tip shapes more robust?

How deep shall I "puncture" the surface to get well visible dot?
I made all shading, than sanded it LIGHTLY with 1000 grit sandpaper and it practically wiped out my bulino shading.
Thanks.

 

[tundratrekers@mtaonline.n]

http://www.igraver.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8838 Sounds like your breaking tips off. You should learn proper geometry with carbon or highspeed steel before trying to use carbide. Until you become proficient ,you are wasting time and money to use such costly gravers.Too much technology,makes knowledge seem unnecessary.Build a solid foundation! Learn push gravers! This will give you the sensitivity to know that the tip is dull/chipped.Learn to sharpen by hand! So you can make adjustments to geometry as needed.Then move to power if needed.No POWER for bulino dots!!!!! God Bless,mike

 

[JAKE N]

I use a 105 degree carbide graver for most of my bulino work (I have found wider geometries last longer in carbide). However, when "making dots" I dont use any power, nor do I stipple. Each dot must be created one at a time by hand. By plunging the graver in then popping it up and out by hand, a dot is formed by completely removing the metal. (Stippling only displaces metal-usually forming a raised area along the edge), You will find that if you remove the metal completely, your engraving will stay more consistent and stand up to sanding a lot better. Hope this helps.

-Jake

 

[Thierry Duguet]

Hello,

Actually when it come to dots, I do not use a graver, I use a dry point, as one may point out I displace the metal and create a lip around the dot but that lip is remove with a light sanding and you are left with a much smaller dot. Dot shading is not and, I think, should not be accomplish in one 'pass' it is more like painting. Your first lair is going to be the lightest, as you add lairs you are going to make some areas darker and give a modeler to your design, as you alternatively dot and sand you create more and more shade of gray which contribute to the realist you are trying to reach.
I do not think that you need to meticulously arrange your dot a certain randomness is actually desirable as it will give a more natural result. As for my dry point it is carbide you could also use diamond, the angle is very sharp and as you are not trying to go deep into the metal it does not break often.
BTW, I speak about sending but 4000 steel wool is actually preferable