Graver, blown up view

[J. Talbert]

I was recently showing a future engraver the proper sharpening of a square Graver bit and I remembered seeing one of these mock ups years ago so I took about 15 minutes and made one.
If there’s any beginners out there who don’t know where to start, maybe this will help.








Jeff

Note: This is the traditional way,  not the Lindsay method.

[Clowdis]

An excellent tool for instruction.

[HighUintas]

Very good idea. Thank you!

[elkhorne]

Jeff,
You have a great idea there. Now the experienced engravers can explain how the short heel engraves and how it works and then show. Long heel and explain it out. We need to have an experienced engraver use your upscale engraver tool for a educational discussion. We all might learn something new!
elkhorne

[JBJ]

Every scrap of information that all of you experienced engravers are willing to share with a total fumbler like myself is deeply appreciated!
The mock up pictures are very helpful. Thanks!

J.B.

[J. Talbert]

Jeff,
You have a great idea there. Now the experienced engravers can explain how the short heel engraves and how it works and then show. Long heel and explain it out. We need to have an experienced engraver use your upscale engraver tool for a educational discussion. We all might learn something new!
elkhorne

So to elaborate for the benefit of beginners here are pictures specifically showing the heel angle and the center ridge of the heel which can be called the keel.


A long keel works well for cutting long straight lines of uniform depth, but is a hindrance when cutting tight curves  and varying the depth of cuts.  Without the heel angle and keel the graver would simply try to continue diving deeper.  The heel provides a fulcrum to allow control of the depth of cut.
Therefore the length of that keel is always a compromise to some extent balancing the ability to cut straight lines vs sharp curves.




Hope that helps,
Jeff

[elkhorne]

Jeff,
That is a very good clarification! You cut right through the clutter. I’ve been to three engraving classes and not one has fully explained the relationship of the heel and it’s relationship to what you, and in my book correctly, call the keel and how they affect your engraving. One instructor discussed the heel size but failed to memtion or explain how the heel size affects the keel you did a nice job and explained that relationship. Most of our problems comes from sharpening our heels, and subsequently our keels, equally on both sides as mirrors of each other. I’ve seen some hand techniques with several forms of bench stone jigs but seems to get the most consistent results from a fixture like the several ones available from GRS. Any suggestions may help some new engravers. Thanks for your explanations.
elkhorne

[rich pierce]

This is indeed a good tool to illustrate the angles on a square graver. I first saw this at Dixon’s over a dozen years ago when Acer (Tom Curran) gave engraving seminars there.

[Curtis]

Nicely demonstrated Jeff!  If a picture says a thousand words, what does a giant larger than life sculpture say? 



Curtis

[Justin Urbantas]

What angles would you be using for the different faces?

[smoke and flames]

As an engraver for over 40 years, I am a bit confused by your terminology of the word “keel”. Never heard that before. Please explain it.
Thanks

[smoke and flames]

I think what you are referring to a keel is what we call either an angle of attack or regrind shaping. The purpose is two-fold. First to raise the handle of the graver so you can get your hand around it. I make mine about 2-3 inches long. In doing so I am not changing the shape/type of my graver. So if its a 90 or sq I am keeping it as such. Then I will do my short heel on the tip. The regrinding is when I am changing the type of my graver. I like using a 105 V type tool  It is still easy to control and a tad more expressive than a 90. Many of my colleagues like a 116 or 120 graver. The wider the angle the more difficult it is to control but more expressive with various size cuts.  The heel is then applied to the face.  I like using a parallel heel rather than the traditional one shown  It is actually two heels. One on each side of the graver tip and goers all the way up the sides. I like this as I can go as deep as i need to go and not out cut my heel as you can do with the traditional heel.  A matter of preference with what I need to cut which is usually steel.
Hope this helps to an already great explanation by my fellow engravers.  Just remember. It's not rocket science and each has their own variations that work

[J. Talbert]

As an engraver for over 40 years, I am a bit confused by your terminology of the word “keel”. Never heard that before. Please explain it.
Thanks

I’m certainly not a professional engraver, I may be an advanced beginner at best.  I simply posted this for the benefit of all the beginners out there, who like me years ago, would like to become proficient enough to do a respectable job on American style longrifle.
As far as the “keel” I mean the central ridge formed by the two sides of the heel angle.  I believe I first heard the term used in an engraving class at Bowling Green KY nearly twenty years ago.





Unfortunately my cell phone pictures are rather blurry when taking closeups.

As for the reference to a parallel heel, that is the style of point that results using the Lindsay sharpening templates.
My thought for this was to illustrate the simplest means possible for someone to grind a tip on a graver blank and get to cutting some simple lines and curves.
Thanks for the input,

Jeff

[smoke and flames]

You did a great job explaining everything so don't sell what you did short. You photos are equally as good   AND  we are ALL just advanced beginners. The day you stop learning... Just stop and put it all away. The most important thing is to have fun with what you  are doing.  Just hope what I added before doesnt add to any confusion   Keep up the good work
Marty

[T*O*F]

Only the tip does the cutting.  About 95% of the upper part can be relieved.  Makes it easier to see what you're cutting and makes resharpening much faster.

[JBJ]

Once again, thanks for ALL comments! Each bit of info helps! I understand how to get that face angle but what is a reliable means of establishing the heel angle? It would seem to me that both facets of the heel would need to be close to the same size or the graver might want to pull towards the "old Flannigan Place".

J.B.

[J. Talbert]

Once again, thanks for ALL comments! Each bit of info helps! I understand how to get that face angle but what is a reliable means of establishing the heel angle? It would seem to me that both facets of the heel would need to be close to the same size or the graver might want to pull towards the "old Flannigan Place".

J.B.

Here is a thrown together mock up of the set up many recommend for establishing and maintaining the heel angle of the tip of the graver.


With the metal rail secured at a given height along the edge of the fine stone, the graver is held down with one of the two bottom flats firmly against the rail and the tip extending a given distance onto the stone.
The sharpening motion is side to side maintaining the tip at the same distance from the rail.  Very few light strokes are typically required.
Then flip the graver onto the other bottom flat a repeat the process.
As you stated, YES it is very important for the two flats to be cut at the same angle and length so the keel, as I call it, is straight down the center.  A jewelers loupe is handy to observe this tiny detail.


Hope that helps,
Jeff

[JBJ]

Jeff,
Makes perfect sense. From your picture, it is also clear that the amount of protrusion over the steel rod would influence the included angle of the tip. Also, count the number of strokes. THANKS!

J.B.

[JBJ]

AND the diameter of the steel rod has a role. I can see where attention to detail and consistency of procedure are very important!

J.B.

[elkhorne]

Jeff,
What diameter of steel rod do you use. Looks like you have modified how Lyndon McKenzie sharpened his gravers. As I recall, he used a 1/4” rod and a 1/2” rod to sharpen the heels on his graver but he also rounded the heel slightly. I’m still trying to figure that part out. His instructions that have been published on ALR in the past but it is hard trying to perform an operation while reading how to do it. I guess you could say a picture or video is easier to learn by than the written word! I’m going to sit down one day and try to duplicate each step! Thanks for opening up this discussion and generating so much dialog for all of us “older” beginners!
elkhorne

[J. Talbert]

Elkhorne,
I can’t answer your question concerning specific measurements.  The picture I posted is a mock up, nothing is secured.  I actually switched over to the Lindsay sharpening system some time ago,  but that’s an additional investment that not everybody might want to make. (A whole different discussion  ).  So I don’t have a working version of this setup.

I will say that the diameter of the rod is not absolute.  The final angle of the heel is the result of the tool angle on the stone.  That angle is the result of TWO factors, the height of the rod above the stone surface and the length that the tool extends from the rod to the contact point on the stone.  With a little experimentation a good combination of those two measurements could be found.

Jeff