How to use a "Florentine" graver/tool!

This graver-tool being displayed here as THE only graver tool to use among jeweller designers! Let me now show you these interesting ‘effects’ in the following photographs.

Some months ago my friend asked me how to use this strange looking flat graver. I decided to answer her request by way of this essay. Now everyone will now learn how this great new tool is used. In the Diamond Setting community, this graver is not in our ‘collected assortment of setting tools’.

The “Difficulty Scale” rates this at a mere ‘4, out of 10’!

What other tools do you need? Simple answer, just have your 10x loupe ready to check your cutting, (as I do all the time).

The other name of this tool is accurately called, a "Liner" , for obvious reasons. This new blade cuts ‘multiple lines’ where needed!

The number “6” are the number of teeth that are doing the actual cutting. The number “16” is the identifying graver width. I really prefer a blade with 6, or 8 lines that will do the cutting. For example, a “Liner” with 10 or more teeth on a narrow blade will make your pattern somewhat finer and might be too fine for the client.

Please be specific when ordering your graver , let the salesperson know what you are working on. These gravers are not at all cheap and some suppliers might be ’ out of stock '!!

I would buy two and keep one just for a spare. If you ‘burn’ the graver while grinding it, then you now have a ‘back-up’ blade, agree? Even if you never need it, it’s there! That’s why we have ‘spare-tires’ in our cars, just in an emergency.

Each line has a spacing of 0.16mm’s . In my estimation, the “6 line graver” is quite sufficient for what we are doing now!

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I keep this graver rather thick on the front face of the blade, why so? I need to have more control over the cutting action, but not as thin as the highly polished Flat Graver that is used solely for “Bright-Cutting”.

This graver should be sturdy enough as to not 'bend’ as it is being used. But the ‘face’ is thin enough to cut into the smaller recesses of your item. This ‘well-contoured blade’ must act as an ‘extension of your fingers’.

These two blades might look the same, but they have completely different results. The bottom of the Flat graver is very highly polished. But in comparison, this ‘Liner’ has no reason to be ‘paper-polished’ , but it will produce & give you the most amazing results!

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Look & enjoy the results of ‘line cutting that is cutting only in one direction’, interesting process?

I could have re-polished this demo bracelet what for? In doing so, the effects might have been ‘rounded & softened’ or even ruined! So I decided to leave it alone. BTW, this silver bracelet is over 85 YEARS OLD!

BTW, in this lower photograph, the engraver had a blade with a very wide cutting action. No need to make multiple parallel cuts!

Are there any words to describe the intense labour of making the bracelet and then carving the patterns…OUCH!

All I can say I am totally humbled in the presence of the jeweller who made this great & beautiful gift. He made it for his wife and who then gave it to her daughter…who gave it to me, instead of scraping and refining it! What loss if the daughter didn’t give it to me as a ‘gift’!

A great pity if it was ‘taken away from us’ to admire and to learn how this was designed!

To say she is just thrilled knowing that I’m now showing this ‘Work of Art’ to you and everyone!

I suggest using a flat surface for the first few cutting sessions, but this is to give you practice! Once your ‘demo-practicing’ has been completed , you will for sure think why didn’t you buy this interesting graver, so many years ago!.:>)

I prefer to keep this blade in a handle that sits comfortably in my hand. There is no need to continually ‘resting your hand, or fingers’ during this cutting exercise, why? You are not continually cutting and making precision cuts. You are doing the resting by repositioning your item in your bench, vise-clamp. As you can see from the demo photos, can you say WOW?..:>)

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BTW, do not worry if you make a little mistake, (errors can be covered up). After all, this exercise is aimed to be rather easy in its line cuttings.

The bottom or underside of this blade looks just like the picture being shown. Even if the blade is dirty like this, the cutting action is not even compromised! We are actually just very interested in the resulting actions!

Under normal magnification, I didn’t see any flakes of dirt, but under my close-up lens this ‘dirt’ won’t be a problem

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There are two ways to cut this pattern, I prefer to cut @ 45degrees. Your cutting angle could be at 90 degrees to each series of lines. The decision is up to you and where you are doing the “Florentine” or 'C ross-Cut ’ finishing!

If there is a chance to only cut in one direction to enhance your designs, then do so! This is your choice, as you are now making your jewellery just more beautiful.

Each cut is at 90 degrees to each other, and the remainder of the lines should always look like what is shown. The cutting pattern is now up to you in the final designing.

The basic pattern should be like an “X” at all times! How easy is this? But in the pictures showing the ‘Bracelet’, the engraver chose to do no other ‘cross-cutting’ also known as a "Cross-Hatch" pattern.

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I prefer to cut into the metal just a bit deeper for the first series of basic cuts. The ‘second series of cuts’ can be quite light, as this will complete the overall pattern! The ‘doubling of the edges of the cuts’ (seen in the photograph below) can be repaired by the cross-cutting action afterwards!!! Just a thought on how to repair a cut.

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This how the first series of cuts look as the cuttings, or shavings are now being formed. These cuts are dug rather deep as to create a base’ for any other cuttings you might need…afterwards!
Please just don’t ‘lightly scratch’ the metal surface , your cuts must be well thought of and planned. " CUT…STOP…THINK! " Repeat…etc’s!

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For being rather curious, I measured the curved metal & the height is about 3.00mm’s. We shouldn’t be too concerned about how the shavings look, but the final result is what we’re always looking for!

I angled the face of the graver to help me to see each cut as it is progressing. I could have shaped the face straight across, but the face would restrict my line of sight in my ‘forward cutting motion’. I call this ‘cutting action’ a modifying process. But the ‘graver angles’ are determined mainly ‘how & where’ you are engraving your cutting lines.

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Observe this problem!!! Something is so very wrong here , can you see the ‘shiny’ ends of the cutting teeth? These ‘6 teeth’ are badly worn and ‘looking shiny’ at the edge, these teeth are now useless in what we are expecting!

The cutting is totally compromised , go to your oilstone (now) and reshape the front of these teeth! This is important, your cuts will not be precise & accurate!

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Just a few ‘demo-cuts’ being shown!

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The official name for this pattern as what you see is named "Cross-Hatch’. But I prefer the easier name of " Cross-Cut ".

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I sincerely wish that you & everyone else spend a few dollars and buy this great graver. Call this information a ‘little gift’ from me to YOU!..:>)

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Blogs address please

Laurie

Here is my blog. If you still have some difficulty, please let me know.

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