I finally received my equipment to sharpen my gravers and I was very excited to get started so I could finally engrave properly. I watched Sam Alfano's DVD to help me get started, which btw was very helpful, but I realized that I only have the 600 grit wheel for my power hone. Do I really need to start out with the 260 grit wheel to get the graver where it needs to be?? Also, he said that you should only use the ceramic lap to make the heel on the graver. Should I invest in that also before I start?? I tried to make the heel on the 600 and the tip just broke off. I'm not even sure how to fix that either. I just want to start engraving and I'm getting a little frustrated. Any advice out there??

Miranda Hoffmann
2/26/2007 9:19:38 PM

Miranda,

You are about to get responses from the most experienced, talented engravers there are. I am an experienced lapidary (I grind stones.) I am also a new engraver. The answer about 600 grit vs 270 is how long you are willing to spend sharpening. My advice is to spend the money for more discs unless you really can't afford it.

You can email me at lester@lesterholmes.com if you want to have more new engraver advice.

Regards,

Les Holmes


Lester Holmes
2/26/2007 10:09:42 PM

Miranda,
The tip breaking may or may not have been anything to do with the sharpening, but just the wonderful world of engraving. You'll find that sharpening becomes a significant part of the engraving process. Once you learn tool control, breakage lessens but hard materials will still cause havoc.
Now, as far as different grit wheels and the ceramic. You will just spend more time grinding on a 600 wheel to remove a broken tip vs a 260 wheel but it isn't too bad. The big advantage for the 260 is for shaping a graver and getting rid of the bulk. 600 is a little coarse for a heel. The grit causes lots of lines that weaken the tip. If you are on a budget, I would suggest you get a decent ceramic stone use that for the heel. You can also use a 1200 grit for a heel. Some engravers swear by this, some swear at this. It's a matter of opinion there.
Get the wheels when you can but you can get by until then.

Rex Pedersen
2/26/2007 10:59:20 PM

Hello Miranda.
Rex gave you good advice, buy a coarse wheel for shaping when you can spare the $.
Until you buy a ceramic wheel, if ever, here is another way to get a decent polish on the tip.
Get a small piece of very hard plastic, about 2x4 inches. Formica is good.
Put some Simichrome, Flitz or even automobile valve grinding compound on the hard side of the plastic.
Put a tiny lift angle on one side of your graver with the 600 wheel.
Then, without moving the position of the graver in the fixture rub the lift angle back and forth in a sideways motion on the polish charged plastic to make a bright little flat lift.
Now change the graver in the fixture and do the same on the other side of it makeing sure the lifts are the same length on both sides of the bottom, of course.
Just another way to get by for now, hope this helps.
Have fun with your engraving adventure and let us know your progress.
John.


John Barraclough
2/27/2007 10:26:56 AM

Thank you all for your 'Oh So Welcome' advice!! ;) My husband restores classic cars and has lots of 1200 grit wet/dry sand paper. If I bought one of the wheel blanks and attached that to it, would that work just as well??
The money is not a huge issue, I'm just mostly being impatient. I keep drawing all these beautiful scrolls and I want to put them to good use on metal, but I can't even get past the sharpening part!! ;) But honestly, I am just starting on my Bachelor's degree in Intelligence Analysis so I'm having to pay for that which is pushing me to watch my P's & Q's. ... Not to mention that my hubby has a rather expensive hobby also............ ;)

Miranda Hoffmann
2/27/2007 8:46:24 PM

some of the guys will retch at this. i fitted a plastic disk to my grs powerhone. actually several. i found that i could affix very fine 1000 gritwet &dry paper to the disks. also 220 & 320 for faster cuts. in conjunction with the 600 grit diamond, all the wet& dry grits work for me. ok, maybe in 2 or 300 years i could have purchased a couple more diamond wheels, but hay why toss money ? don't forget new tool faces can be ground away to a great degree. this doesn't affect performance, in fact improves it somewhat. and the plus here, when resharpening, less time is required and your disks will last much longer.

j.d. swartzfeger
2/27/2007 9:44:26 PM

Great advice! THANK YOU!!!!! Hopefully I can get this to work for me. :)
I'll keep you all posted!! =-)




Miranda Hoffmann
2/27/2007 10:00:15 PM