Reference for Gravers?

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hello Orchidians,

I wonder if anyone can recommend a good book on the selection,
shaping and sharpening of gravers. I’m looking for something that
starts you from scratch, the raw graver and takes you through the
steps necessary to bring the graver to being a useful tool in hand
… and then some if possible. Sharpening angles, which ones need a
belly, etc. The more types of graver discussed the better.

My particular interest is not the typical engraving stuff --there’s
actually a pretty decent old book for that called “The Jewelry
Engraver’s Manual” by R.Allen Hardy and John J. Bowman published by
Dover (read “cheap!”)-- but in using gravers to carve and shape
metal.

Perhaps if I detail some of my specific questions it will bring this
picture into better focus:

  • facing and putting a belly on flat gravers seems pretty
    straight-forward, though by no means easy for the rookie like me.
    But what about knife, round, onglette and square gravers? Surely one
    doesn’t want to go messing with the edges on these tools by putting a
    belly on them.

  • should knife, round, onglette and square gravers be bent in order
    to get lift on them?

  • I’m familiar with shaping, heat treating and sharpening carbon
    steel tools but what about these expensive high-speed steel gravers I
    bought a while back? Same process or don’t even think about it? The
    reference material I’ve looked at for HSS seems to indicate a MUCH
    tricker heat treatment process but I’d like to know from those in the
    know how HSS gravers are supposed to be prepared.

Anyway, as usual I’m dragging this on too long. I think one gets the
idea. Any suggestions welcome --aside from “take a course” 'cause I’m
in a country where I don’t speak the language … and I’m kinda broke
at the moment. Besides, I like doing things DIY style and reference
books can be invaluable for that sort of thing.

FWIW I’m not completely clueless on this subject since I’ve
successfully prepared and used a chisel shaped graver and I love it!
More please! Hence my quest. Thank you. I’ll shut up now.
Curtsey.

PS. Gerry, I’ve looked at some of your pages and found them quite
useful. Unfortunately a few of them come up as dead links and/or
empty files so I’m not sure of the extent of your little online
reference library.

PPS. I know Brian Marshall is in the process of preparing something
like this but it’s not available at the moment. I’ll grab in once
it’s available but in the meantime … (does that count as a reminder
Brian?)

Cheers,
Trevor F

2

Well, Trevor:

As a self trained individual the in’s and outs of graving, I will
never claim to know everything. Fancy shaped gravers are meant for
their shape to give definition to your piece. The '‘hogging out’'
and major metal cutting require a belly so as not to put to much
pressure on the edge and allow it to follow cut rather than lead or
bulldoze the entire mass, it’s pretty much a rule of thumb, big cut,
big belly. hope that helps. Ringman

3 
The ''hogging out'' and major metal cutting require a belly so as
not to put to much pressure on the edge and allow it to follow cut
rather than lead or bulldoze the entire mass, it's pretty much a
rule of thumb, big cut, big belly. hope that helps. Ringman

Hello Ringman,

Indeed it does help! That was a little piece of the puzzle that I
hadn’t run across yet. Many thanks.

Cheers,
Trevor F.