How to Sharpen an Engraving Cutter

Make impressions on jewelry with a properly sharpened graver.

Special care must be taken to sharpen an engraver cutter if you want the right cut into your jewelry. An engraver cutter is known as a graver. It is a blunt metal pin with three sides: two flat belly edges and a curved face. Sharpening a graver is as much an art as jewelry making itself, but a novice can sharpen a graver at a beginner's angle. Each edge must be ground at the appropriate degree, then polished.

Things You'll Need

• India stone
• SAE-10 motor oil
• Rag
• Graver sharpener
• Graver
• Arkansas stone
• Grit 4-0 sandpaper

Instructions

1. Install an India stone into the graver sharpener. Rub small amounts of motor oil into the stone with a rag until the stone stops absorbing the oil. Use SAE-10 oil.

2. Loosen the sharpener's ferrule by unscrewing the corresponding wing nut. Angle the graver so that one of the belly edges is facing down, toward the India stone. Insert the butt end of the graver into the ferrule and tighten.

3. Lower the front end of the sharpener until the belly edge of the graver sits flat on the India stone. Lift the back end of the graver to a 10-degree angle and tighten the corresponding wing nut. Slide the body of the sharpener back and forth until the graver is ground.

4. Loosen the rear wing nut, lower the back end of the sharpener, raise the front end, loosen the ferrule and remove the graver. Turn the graver so that the other belly edge faces down and tighten the ferrule. Lower the front end of the sharpener so that the graver rests on the stone, raise the back end 10 degrees, tighten and grind the other belly edge. Loosen the wing nuts, raise the assembly and remove the graver.

5. Insert the graver so the curved face is pointing down. Tighten the ferrule and lower the graver to the stone. Raise the back end to a 45-degree angle and grind the face. Undo the wing nuts and remove the graver.

6. Replace the India stone with an Arkansas stone. The Arkansas stone will smooth the grinds of the India stone. Repeat Steps 1 through 5.

7. Take the graver in hand. Drag the belly edges over 4-0 grit sandpaper to polish the grinds. Do not rub the face on the sandpaper.

References

• The Jewelry Engravers Manual; Alan Hardy, John J. Bowman; 1976