Hello, Can anyone help me to understand the process of hardening and
tempering setting tools?
I can do it but my tools seem to go blunt after just a few grains(is
this normal??).
My onglette just seems to be to soft. If anyone could write me a
procedure I would very grateful.
Ryan Haddrell
Clayfeild Jewellery
Brisbane ,Australia.
Look in the archives. I wrote a pretty good description of what you
need a few months back. It was also reposted on the AJM and Steve
Lindsay sites. Called “Reconditioning Beading Tools”
Also wrote another on gravers that covers heating, bending,
hardening, and tempering gravers – but that was a few years back. I
ran across it in the archives a couple weeks ago. If you cannot find
this one I’ll dig in my files and send it to you.
Look under the subjects, if that doesn’t work, look under my name.
Brian P. Marshall
Stockton Jewelry Arts School
2207 Lucile Ave.
Stockton, CA 95209
209-477-0550 Workshop/Studio/Classrooms
good examples in the literature : alan revere, “professional
goldsmithing”, tim mccreight. “the complete metalsmith”
but, I am constantly sharpening my gravers, certainly every 3 or 4
cuts. some setters I know c\sharpen after every cut, i.e. one stroke
on the metal, the next on the wetstone
Mark Zirinsky
Denver
reposted, with permission, for the groups benefit:
Hi Mark! I’ve been a diamond stter for 30 years, just read your
comment on how often you “stone” the ends oof your gravers. Two
things come to mind…1.after sharpening, are you “polishing” all
the cutting or contact surfaces? 2 Are you using hardened steel / if
so, when you tapered them on the grinder, you may have taken out the
temper. Keep the gravers cool when grinding by dipping into water
constantly…
I Polish my gravers on a “ruby stone”, fine polishing emery on a
hard block, can also be used with success. The metal you’re cutting
will also have an effect on how long the graver stays shiny. When I
bead set or cut platinum, I have to polish my graver ends
constantly, to keep a bright cut. Hope this is helpful to you…"V"
Morris …from Vancouver Island!
Go ahead Mark, hope it helped. If you need any more advice
re:setting, you’ve got my e- mail address…just “whistle” “V”