Hi John Barraclough, I just read your article in the #74 " The Engraver" Nice job of explaining what I posted 8/1/2006, on inexpensive, quick-to- sharpen gravers.

Mark Hoechst
5/15/2007 1:04:04 PM

Hello Mark and others.
Yes, these are nice little inexpensive gravers.
As far as your posting on 08/06, I thought the same thing at the time.
I wondered where you got the idea.
I had been making gravers this way for many years before that date.
This method had been shared with dozens of my students and also with my friend Frank Hendricks when he came to do a Professional Engravers class in the college where I taught. This was in the early 1990's.
At this time my miniture gravers were held in 3/32" keystock.
I taught all the students to shape their gravers by putting them in a square Belgium graver handle made by the Ngraver Company.
Being square, they could be rested in the tool post of a bench grinder to produce the required number of flat sides.
It occured to me that a smaller graver could be produced this way.
Hardly a great inspiration, but useful. Just common sence.
I started doing this before the proper size square brass tube was available.
Originally I used 3/32 inch square steel key stock which I center drilled in a homemade square collet.
This was a lot of work and produced many rejected parts.
I was happy to get a catalog showing the 3/32 sq. brass tube made by H&K Engineering and have used that since to create an indexable holder.
For many years I also used a larger size of square tubing to hold both 3/32 and 1/8 inch round cobalt or carbide graver blanks for indexing.
However, these only fit in some of hand pieces when I used a power tool.
I have many H&C handles that I made to fit these.
Many of my scrapers and burnishers are also made using indexable ends.
I also mount 1/16" carbide and diamond dental bits, both new and worn, to
make texturing punches and special small tools.
John.

John Barraclough
5/15/2007 2:31:22 PM

Thanks John, I would have to say my 1st thought was right.
"Great Minds Do Think Alike." [If I can be so bold to include myself]

I have to get out more, I am not paranoid---but everybody thinks I am!

I first ground 2 flats at 90 degrees on round shanks to make them fit, it took a long time. Then came up with the square brass tubing.

Thanks for answering my ? Hope to see you in person next Guild Show.

Mark

Mark Hoechst
5/15/2007 3:20:45 PM

As a PS to my reply above.
When using a 1/16 inch dental bur in the 3/32" sq. brass tube to make a texture punch, scraper or other small tool it is advisable to fill the whole bottom of the tube with a piece of 1/16' brazing rod to prevent bending the tool in reasonably heavy use.
I solder it in place with low temp or coat it with JB weld before pushing
it into the tube.
John.

John Barraclough
5/15/2007 5:31:16 PM