Bluetickhound
Elite Cafe Member
A couple of weeks ago I downloaded Sam's video on lettering and it is, as most of you know, fantastic! Instead of air assist though, I'm trying to do this by hand pushing and in short, I'm burning through a bunch of copper with not much to show for it. I know engraving isn't an instant gratification endeavor and two or three weeks isn't enough time but I'm making NO progress whatsoever and it's becoming frustrating.
In the sharpening video the recommendation is for a radiused heel of 10-20 degrees and a 40 degree face but that is for the Gravermach AT Sam uses... Should I be trying the same geometry with a burin (#40 tapered flat by the by...) More heel? Steeper (or shallower) face? I know having a mirror finish is essential for the brightness and the first half of my cuts are OK but coming out one of two things happen... Either it slips across the plate and I narrowly avoid stabbing myself or the graver digs in and the rest of the cut looks like dookie. I have tried going in fully on the point, rotating ever so slightly to the outside of the cut and then rotating back to the point but that really hasn't resulted in a cut that anyone would call good looking...
Any suggestions would be most appreciated!
In the sharpening video the recommendation is for a radiused heel of 10-20 degrees and a 40 degree face but that is for the Gravermach AT Sam uses... Should I be trying the same geometry with a burin (#40 tapered flat by the by...) More heel? Steeper (or shallower) face? I know having a mirror finish is essential for the brightness and the first half of my cuts are OK but coming out one of two things happen... Either it slips across the plate and I narrowly avoid stabbing myself or the graver digs in and the rest of the cut looks like dookie. I have tried going in fully on the point, rotating ever so slightly to the outside of the cut and then rotating back to the point but that really hasn't resulted in a cut that anyone would call good looking...
Any suggestions would be most appreciated!