[Jewelry making - Article 00368] - Re: [Orchid] Graver sharpening tools

[Jewelryartschool]

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    This may make more sense? 

    Economy Level: Setting a few stones a week. Start with a Crocker
    holding fixture and a small protractor. An aluminum oxide
    double-sided whetstone and a hard Arkansas stone. Try to get the
    stones in the same length and thickness. Longer is better. 8 is
    ideal but 6 is average. If one stone is thinner than the other  make
    a thin wooden or Plexiglas shim to fit underit, and bring it to the
    same level as the thicker stone.       

    Use carbon steel or HSS steel graver blanks. Put a graver into the
    holder. Make sure that you always insert the graver in such a way as
    to leave the exact same amount protruding each time. I suggest
    marking all the gravers with a diamond scribe. We'll use 1 for an
    example of where to mark. A lot will depend on your stones. You may
    find that you have to use a raised platform to rest and  slide your
    Crocker on - to achieve the geometry you need. Using the protractor
    find the angles you will need to set the Crocker for by placing the
    loaded holder in position on the whetstones. Mark each angle on the
    rotating collars with a center punch or nick them with a file. You
    can use nail polish or bright colored paint in these depressions to
    make the marks easy to see. This will enable you to find and repeat
    your angles with some degree of accuracy. 

    Utility: Setting a few stones a day, maybe beginning to try
    ornamental engraving. Start with a Crocker holding fixture and a
    small  protractor. Follow the directions above, so that you can find
    and repeat your angles. Find matching diamond hones of 600 and 1,200
    grit. You may want to at least consider a 260 grit hone. Makes short
    work of preforming your blank. I have set that measure about 2 x 8.
    Find a ceramic or Ruby stone for final polishing if you intend to
    bright cut. (You will probably have to charge the ceramic stone with
    50,000 grit diamond powder) 

    If you just need to push up beads the 1,200 grit will be fine. With
    this setup you can start to purchase some of the newer alloys and
    carbides. A good grade of carbide will make a graver that can last
    for years without resharpening if you don't hit a stone with it. I
    precut all of my settings, testing the fit as I go, before the
    diamonds are finally set. Takes a bit  longer, but I like crisp
    results, not mashed and smeared metal. My personal all around
    favorite for both setting and ornamental engraving is Lindsays
    Carbalt. GRS has a carbide, and their own formula Glensteel. Ngraver
    has a carbide. There are also M2 and M42 blanks. All of the 3/32
    square  tool blanks were originally small lathe tool blanks so this
    time we are  stealing from machine shop tools instead of the
    dentists.<grin>

    Production and Accuracy: Full time setters and full time ornamental
    engravers. Here's where it can start getting expensive As I mentioned
    in the preceding post you can make your own motorized hone from
    various salvaged (read free) parts, and you can use a Crocker or
    other homemade holding device  to keep the price down. You can find 6
    laps online at various lapidary and faceting dealers for $40 to $50
    each. Ceramic laps are another story. Just a few months ago you could
    purchase them for around $90. Now all of a sudden they are  in the
    $200+ price range. Dunno why, the only thing that I can think of that
    uses a similar ceramic is the space shuttle? Anybody got a clue as to
    why they'd more than double in a few months? 

    A brand new full bore GRS Power Hone with all 4 laps (260, 600,
    1,200, and ceramic), diamond spray and the newest holding fixture
    will cost you around $900. Add another fixture and you're well over
    $1,000. You will rarely find used ones on Ebay. The advantages are
    convenience it arrives ready to go to work and durability. 

    I now have 6 GRS power hones in our studios. 3 of them are over  20
    years old. I've never been extremely gentle with them, and students
    can  usually destroy almost anything but they still run fine. I just
    this year replaced 2 sets of laps after 20 years hard use. The
    oldest one still runs well after 20+ years, but makes a funny noise,
    so I ordered a replacement motor last week. Another winter
    maintenance job never ends.

    Anyway, these are some of your choices. Any of them can be altered
    or combined in whatever way suits you and your budget. As always,
    buy the best quality you can afford - taking into account the job(s)
    you have to do. 

Brian P.  Marshall
Stockton Jewelry Arts School
Stockton, CA  USA
209-477-0550
instructor AT jewelryartschool.com
jewelryartschool AT aol.com

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