Need input on an AirGraver

[sdilts]

Been toying with the idea of getting a Lindsay AirGraver. For those of you that have one, what are the advantages and disadvantages of it? Do you find that your engraving is better with the AirGraver than hammer and graver?

[Jim Kibler]

I think I am the exception, but I prefer hammer and chisel.  I ended up selling my air graver years ago.  Maybe it’s because I learned hammer and chisel first.

[CooleyS]

What is the reason you are considering an air graver? I learned with hammer and chisel, and have never used an air graver. However, my thumbs are both down to bone on bone and nothing aggravates them more than engraving.
-Steve

[Bill Raby]

I started with hammer and chisel. I have an airgraver now. I will never use hammer and chisel again.

[Daryl]

After seeing Maria Grave's engraving, I am convinced there is more control  perhaps, with hammer and chisel.

[smart dog]

Hi,
I used hammer and chisel for years and I still do for certain things.  I also use a Lindsay airgraver and absolutely love it.  When I was younger I could easily see the tip of my graver held in a chisel handle and do all my cutting.  As I got older, it became harder to see the tip even with magnification unless I huddled down over it.  That made it awkward to use hammer and chisel.  With the airgraver, I can huddle over the work, see everything well, and work faster.  The airgraver does not improve my work but it speeds it up a lot.  Moreover, it also speeds up your learning curve for engraving.  How I engrave something depends entirely on my objectives.  I usually try to produce vintage looking work not modern banknote style engraving. Sometimes I will use hammer and chisel to cut the main lines so they have a less precise vintage look and then do the details with the airgraver.  Here are 2 examples. The first is an exact copy of engraving from a gun by Twigg from the 1770s.




This second work is right out of 17th century French baroque play book.



In the second work, I cut the main lines with hammer and chisel and used my airgraver for the details.  I also engrave a lot of military and inspection marks on reproductions of muskets, rifles, and carbines.  For those the airgraver is ideal because I get the job done a lot faster than if I used hammer and chisel.  It is not art and I want to get it done quickly.  Finally, an airgraver or hammer and chisel cannot make up for lack of creativity and design skill.  The first step in good engraving is a good design. My airgraver is the classic foot petal powered version.

dave

[Ron Scott]

Hi Steven, You might take into consideration how much time you have to devote to engraving.  I never seemed to have spare time to practice engraving, so my hammer and graver work really suffered. The acquisition of a air powered graver improved my learning curve significantly . I have both the Palm Control airgraver and a foot control Nitro, they are near the top of my most prized tools. Give me a call if you desire more detailed observations. 541-941-0395

[JTR]

Actually, years ago, I bought Jim Kiblers Air Graver.   I sort of hoped some of his skill would be in the tool, but alas, no.

But I did get used to using it, and found it much easier than hammer and graver to do the work I did. Also, by varying the speed it was fairly easy to imitate hammer and graver style work, or speed it up for very smooth cuts.

I've also had a GraverMeister for several years before the Air Graver. For the most part it works equally as well as the Air Graver, but is much noisier. It's a 120V powered tool with built in air compressor, foot peddle variable speed tool, so no air bottle required. 

With the 'sometimes' on/off again engraving I do, I find both of these easier to get good results than with hand engraving. Whichever way you go, do buy the Lindsay sharpening templates!

John

[bama]

I love to hammer and chisel engraving but at 73 years old I need all the help I can get. I can do more work faster and better with my Lindsay than I can with H&C.

Here is a Tomahawk I am working on for the KRA. This was done with the Lindsay in about 40 hours. I am not sure I could have done this job with H&C, I know it would have taken longer to do and I know my hands, back & shoulders would have suffered more.

[smart dog]

Jim Parker,
The beautiful tight English scroll work you did on the blade is delightful!  I believe Lynton McKenzie told a story about that kind of scroll work.  It seems prior to the 1830s, British firearm engravers were all hammer and chisel men and the deep chased work showed up under popular bluing and browning used at the time.  However, they were always dickering with the gun makers about prices and getting paid enough for their work. Many of them discovered that copperplate engravers working for new lithography and graveur businesses were making much more money.  They did their work with hand burins.  Very quickly most firearms engravers shifted to doing copperplate and gave up the hammer and chisel.  Consequently, few new engravers were being trained in hammer and chisel and the firearm makers eventually had a severe problem finding hammer and chisel engravers and had to pay a lot more for them.  To solve the problem, the makers encouraged engravers to cut finer and shallower scrolls that could be packed tightly together to create dramatic designs that could be cut with a hand burin. Hence, the famous English scroll was born.


dave
   

[bama]

Thanks Dave, that's quite the compliment coming from you. You are a right talented craftsman and I appreciate your comment.

[Carl Young]

Very nice Jim. Almost enough to make you want to be President!

Carl

[sdilts]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate all the input. Very useful info. I've gotten older and my hands don't work like they used to. I thought the airgraver might help smooth things out.

Steve

[Daryl]

Sounds like it was a good choice afterall.

[kutter]

I started and learned w/hammer & chisel. That was in '71.
I never gave much thought to giving that up, but I did fall to the GraverMax lure at one point and bought a machine.
That was in the 90's IIRC, maybe the 80's.
Everyone else had one,,maybe I should as well!
I used it a little but never felt really comfortable with it and it sat idle for many yrs till I finally sold it.
I continued using Hammer/Chisel. Most everyone else was on the AirAssist graver tool side of the trade.

I was doing work for a couple of custom gun makers as well as several other dealer and gunsmith customers. Working at it full time along with restoration gunsmithing.
Everything was going just fine.

Then two severe injuries happened to my head, arms & wrists. Plus other just plain age related (I suspect) things started getting in the way. I was to the point where I could not hold the hammer in one hand, chisel in the other and be assured that the hammer would make contact with the end of the chisel head each time.

Either give it up after 40yrs or do Something!
I looked at the Lindsay and bought one.
It was hard to give in at first (Dutch are like that) and give up the H&C, but it was the only way I could continue to work.

It allowed me to continue to engrave and produce work and I still do to this day.
Almost 55yrs at it now.

The  Lindsay is a very easy tool to learn to use. Very controllable. Results can be realized generally much faster than with hammer and chisel.
How good those metal cutting results transform into artistic forms is up to you however.
It still takes patience and practice in drawing, shading, proportion, layout, etc of course.


Expensive,,Yes, but if you are really set on following the trade and producing work, it can be for you.
Once in a while small jobs on projects that are not too intricate can be easily taken care of with some skills in handling the old hammer and chisel,,and at a lot less cost to you.