Question: C-Max graver life

[Douglas]

I have been using C-Max gravers for a while now and I love them. I have worn my 120° down by not quite to 1/2 . I have been experiencing the tip breaking easier and bigger piece. Normally only a chip comes off, now it chips back to the back of the heel. Is this common for these C-Max gravers.
I got out a new one and it is work fine not breaking at all, and it’s all been in the same steel piece.

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

Nothing last forever

arnaud

 

[fegarex]

I'm not a metallurgist so I can't give a answer but my guess it there might be a hard/soft spot in the tool? I've never had any issues with them and have some worn down a bit. It IS very important that you micro radius the point however. Because the material is so hard it will break easier and usually larger than a HSS. It doesn't need to be a lot but enough to get rid of the super sharp point. It's hard to notice the difference in the look of the cut either.

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

I have used them a bit, but have not a lot of experience with them, but it seems like it works well enough compared to some other carbides..
I found it interesting that Siderov, at the GM, said that when using carbide, and cmax in particular on stainless, that it should not be polished.
He says it breaks easier when polished if you are using it on stainless.
After he said this, I realized I never polish carbide when cutting steel, because it did not seem to help tool life.

 

[ken dixon]

I love them for silver and gold and I always use them mirror polished. I have noticed when I cut steel or stainless they chip badly, I will have to try radiusing the point.

Ken

 

[monk]

in addition to all the above tips given, try a face angle of 50 degrees rather than 45. this may add a bit of improvement to your cutting. don't try a new face angle until you give it a try on a practice plate. as the face angle is increased, visibiity can become a bit of a problem for you-- so give it a whack on a practice plate to see if you like it.

 

[fegarex]

Barry,
Did he give a reason for this? I was told the graver must be polished as the lines made by sharpening would become a fracture point. For my work I would prefer not to have a polished face anyhow.

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

He gave no reason, just said it was his experience. He did say they should be polished for precious metals.
I have one he made for me, I will measure the angles when I get home.

 

[BrianPowley]

I've had similar problems with carbide way before C-Max was around. I remember talking to Don Glaser about it one time and he said that because the graver takes such a repeated amount of impacts, it is possible for the molecules to become rearranged slightly. He then recommended that I just use another tool for a while and then go back to the first one and see if it helps. I guess, theoretically, the molecules can/will return to their normal state.
As silly as it sounds, it worked for me.
Now, whenever I experience a lot of tool breakage, I just give the thing a rest for a couple of days and use another graver (got a ton of 'em anyway)
It might have some merit, but it might be VooDoo medicine too.

 

[Lee]

Drawing from my experience as an Idaho potato farmer, I will let you in on one of the little known secrets regarding tool life, especially carbide. Brian is correct about giving it a rest. It works much better if you stick it in a potato for a week or so. It has something to do with the acids reacting with the metal and allowing the molecules to realign. When you pluck the graver out, bake the potato at 350 for a couple of hours. Since you have already stabbed the skin, you don't have to worry about it exploding in the oven.

 

[Brian Hochstrat]

Would it work better to let them rest by the pool, or maybe send them to Hawaii, they should come back well rejuvenated

 

[j.c.]

Lee,

You've got your Brians mixed up. That was Brian Marshall in the potato story that you saw in the FEGA magazine - not Brian Powley.

j.c.

 

[Haraga.com]

Brian Marshall should have learned the potato trick from Vic.

 

[FANCYGUN]

French Fried Potaotes actually work best as the metal gets infused with the cooking oils thus giving the graver a consistant internal lubricant.

 

[Brian Marshall]

Yeah, Leonard - I was young and gullible, what can I say?

And yes, it was Victor Vasquez who put that one over on me...

How many others did he do it to? You too?


Brian

 

[Lee]

I'm embarrassed. Somehow I missed the potato article and as a somewhat self-proclaimed spudologist........well.

All jesting aside, I have experienced carbide failure as described by the original poster and it poses a good question. I don't know whether Powley (too many good Brian engravers) via Don Glaser is on to something but it's easy and cheap to test. My meager understanding of metallurgy is that carbide is manufactured by binding (glueing) carbide particles together. I have wondered whether the binder is breaking down over time with repeated impacts. It is possible perhaps that a batch just didn't go right or something happened part way through the process.

I will add that I have had this happen to carbides and carbide combinations from various sources and I still think carbides are a valuable tool.

 

[silverchip]

I have several carbide gravers and after a week of hard labor, I ship mine off to a friend in Fla. for rejuvination. He puts them out on the porch with a couple of Mojitos and lets them soak for a while. I pay him for shipping both ways!!!!