Radius heel flat graver

[Sam]

This one's for monk, who asked about my radius heel flat graver.

I was testing one of Don Glaser's radius heel flats that he used for western brightcut engraving, and thought it might be good for script lettering. The heel was too large, so I kept experimenting with shorter heels and different radii and settling on my 40°/10°-20° combination.

The face is sharpened to 40° and the heel is radiused from 10°-20° by rocking the Dual Angle fixture on the toolpost. I strive to keep the radius up close to the front of the graver and not let it extend back very far. Keeping a short radiused heel allows for tight turns with minimal heel drag.

 

[Brian Marshall]

Similar to what I use every day for lettering work.

And yeah, the heel does need to be a bit longer for Western bright cut. (At least mine is)

Sam, I do one more thing that I can't tell if you do by the picture... Looks like a bur/rough edge on the side of yours?

I finish the sides with a stroke or two on ceramic.

Then jam the tip into hardwood by habit. I was taught that that removed any microscopic burs that might still be left.

But that was before we used microscopes... don't actually see much difference. Just habit, or maybe superstition?


B.

 

[Haraga.com]

Brian, no more graver in the potato?

 

[Brian Marshall]

You never did say whether Victor pulled that on you too Leonard? My excuse is that I was only 18 when that took place. What's yours?

Potatoes are too soft to knock off a bur... they are only used to perform magical overnight sharpening.

And why are you hijacking the dictators thread? May cost you...

B.

 

[Ed Westerly]

I too use a radius on my flat gravers for flare cutting, but I use 20-5 degrees on the radius. I then plunge the sharpened graver into my thumb to remove any burrs!

 

[Haraga.com]

Lol Brian. Vic never had me use the potato but you should have seen the smile on his face when he told the story about you. For some reason he loved to tell that one. I never did ask you if the tool was better the next morning? Sam sorry for the hijack. .

 

[monk]

thank you, sam. exactly what i was looking for. will give this a try to see how i like it.

 

[Roger B]

I then plunge the sharpened graver into my thumb to remove any burrs!

I get it :clapping: but isn't that meant to be the thumbnail???

 

[Barry Lee Hands]

Radius heel is the standard for bright cutting the world "round and that looks like it should do nicely.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

The radius graver is also excellent for relieving backgrounds around scroll work. It gives a slightly better clearance than one that is just flat.

This extra clearance means you tend not to damage the wall of the engraving.

Cheers
Andrew