Shmoil

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

From Maxime’s engraver tool shop in Antwerp I recently bought this little bottle “engraving lubricantâ€. It is Maxime’s father, Alexander Sidorov who developed this.
I tried it on different gravers like Cmax and Chris’s HSS, and I must say that I’m mostly surprised.
Whether I use it for heavy cutting or fine shading, it seems the graver cuts smoother, the graver holds its sharpness longer, and especially when starting a cut you feel that the graver bites in the metal.

It has no smell, sure it is some oil, but sure no olive oil. So it is Alexander’s secret.

If one of you ever is in the neighbourhood of Antwerp, don’t forget to buy some of these. Not expensive and sure worth every euro.

arnaud

 

[Sam]

I like the name
If Alexandre uses it it must be good. He should make it for sale online.

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

Yes Sam, that could be a good idea, however it is not that simple to ship liquid oversee. When I started engraving I wanted to order Tom White’s transfer solution, but also he only could sent me the powder and then I had to add some liquid he described. Could work but if I order a product, I prefer to receive it like it is.
About SHMOIL, I can’t see how one could make powder from oil.

I recently ordered a anodizer that is also sold in the US, but the colouring solution I can’t have it neither from the US.

Perhaps there is a way to ship liquids, but sure it won’t be easy.

arnaud