Hand Engraving Tools
- Thread starter 7 num num
- Start date
Page and Wilson Ltd out of Vancouver area, is one potential source. They are a Watchmaker and Jewellery supply outfit. IIRC they operate out of the Grobet File Company catalog.
You can make your own without too much trouble. 1/8" High Speed Steel blanks are pretty cheap to buy, handle material can be whatever suits you. The plastic handles off scrap screwdrivers would seem a good choice. You will want to make a ferrule if using wood that may split. Nasty having a graver stuck in the palm of your hand!
Where are you in AB? If you are near Edmonton, you probably want to check out Bedrock Supply, on 63 Ave. They stock about a half dozen different gravers. $10-$30 each, without handles. You can afford to grind a lot of 1/8" HSS to oblivion trying to get the shape you want, for that coin.
Cheers
Trev
You can make your own without too much trouble. 1/8" High Speed Steel blanks are pretty cheap to buy, handle material can be whatever suits you. The plastic handles off scrap screwdrivers would seem a good choice. You will want to make a ferrule if using wood that may split. Nasty having a graver stuck in the palm of your hand!
Where are you in AB? If you are near Edmonton, you probably want to check out Bedrock Supply, on 63 Ave. They stock about a half dozen different gravers. $10-$30 each, without handles. You can afford to grind a lot of 1/8" HSS to oblivion trying to get the shape you want, for that coin.
Cheers
Trev
- Location
- Regina, SK
Why would you want to engrave your hand? ;-)
I'm pretty interested as well. As I understand from reading, the angles of the gravers are really really important. Not sure how to get consistant angles.... looked at lots of diagrams but haven't figured out how to get them so perfect.
crazy insane
Regular
I worked at a store and picked up a bunch of stuff including HSS Engraving Chisels, Checkering Scribes, Stamps and a sh#t tone of reamers mostly for shotguns. I also had a pile of books thrown in as well, all related to shotguns, gunsmithing, stock carving/engraving as well as old school stuff. I would love to find a home for this stuff since Ive accepted the fact that I probably will never make a high grade engraved stock or part. I do alot of grinding on carbide and if you want to do precise grinding you can buy, or make a precision grinding fixture if you want to save some money.
Ken's Gems in NE Calgary has a very wide range of engraving tools, books, power engraving machines (impact air systems by GRS, etc.) as well as a wide range of jewellery supplies.
Their prices are not too extreme and they have always been helpful to me when I have stopped by.
HWally: The angles on graver tips are usually achieved with a jig which holds the graver as you pass it over a stone or hold the graver still while a motorized disc sharpener makes the angle. These jigs are pretty expensive, so I've always done mine by hand/eye (sometimes successful, sometimes not). I'm no skilled engraver, so doing it by eye works okay for the very little I do.
Their prices are not too extreme and they have always been helpful to me when I have stopped by.
HWally: The angles on graver tips are usually achieved with a jig which holds the graver as you pass it over a stone or hold the graver still while a motorized disc sharpener makes the angle. These jigs are pretty expensive, so I've always done mine by hand/eye (sometimes successful, sometimes not). I'm no skilled engraver, so doing it by eye works okay for the very little I do.
Tharjoe is right on... Ken's Gems in NE Calgary has all you need and some excellent small files, numbered drills and other stuff as well. Check their web site and visit them next time in Calgary - it will be worth it. There are books and videos on engraving but you must try it to get the feel of the gravers cutting the metal.
Good luck.
Good luck.
I have a graver sharpener jig around here. Not expensive, pretty easy to make something that would work as well, actually. Mine is like the 18 pound one on the last link.
The Bergeon one is nice, but pricey. The rig in the vid is easy enough an idea to adapt, and the stuff for grinding like that can be scrounged up pretty easy or bought, but is gross overkill for a fella starting out. Gotta remember that the folks (mostly, anyways) that are buying these rigs, are also charging out pretty big numbers for their time. The rig saves them time, it doesn't make them better engravers.
Lesse. http://www.jewelerssupplies.com/product3971.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-fhCOXiyYc
http://www.rnhorological.co.uk/gravers.htm
Even easier to use something like the iron lap furnished with the Waller carbide graver sets, for use in a WW pattern (watchmakers) lathe.
Getting a sharp, clean angle without getting a bunch of facets or false edges in the way of the cutting, would seem to be fairly important. Not trying to do it seems pretty much a sure way to never build any skill at it.
Cheers
Trev
