Rabbit engraving

Sam Salvati

Sam Salvati

Joined
Aug 6, 2007
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So this doesn't get moved to a forum I can't even post on, let me just be clear this will eventually end up on knives LOL.

Got the itch today while some stuff for work was heating up in the forge to make some engraving chisels. Got some 1/2" 1045 from Aldo and 1 heat and a grind later here we go.Kinda got lucky and nailed the angles all freehand on the first one, next one took some tweaking but I htink I have a good working understanding of a "blacksmith's" engraver angle setup (IE not to any exact angle just eyeballed). I want to engrave my whole layout table. It is interesting to work with such large gravers, much more comfortable to my blacksmith hands then tiny things I need a magnifier to see. I made the hammer, and the chisels hehe.

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Not entirely untrained, I did get a couple days learning from some folks from NC black traveling sales reps.
 
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Neat!
May I suggest you go to 1095 for your next gravers? It gets harder than 1045. At some point you may need the extra hardness.
 
Bill do you have a source for round stock 1095? the 1045 seems to be kickin BUTT, still sharp, still polished. I will only ever cut mild steel or soft carbon.

Xander I could not tell you! I just eyeball it.
 
Sorry, I don't have a source. Thick, flat stock sliced in sections would work, though. Even 1084 would work well.
It's like making a knife from hardware store stock. Eventually, you will wish you had used the proper steel. From your first engraving, it's obvious you have talent and I'll bet you'll be engraving more than your layout table!
 
You can easily buy drill rod in O-1 ,simple enough to HT. You could also get gravers in places like Brownells at least you could in the past. Much of today's gravers are inserts for the mechanical type ,miniature jack hammers !
 
Also W1 drill rod is widely available and may be easier for you to HT than O1. It's basically
1095.
 
1045 seems to be just the ticket for me personally, easier to HT then o1 or W1, heat beat grind right in water and temper in the forge flames and it cuts very well. Maybe a finer smaller size graver requires better steel, these are brutish compared to those.
 
Hi Sam,
You got me interested so I tried it in a spacer. I still have to take it apart and work on it some more.
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It makes me want to take a class on this .
Thanks for Sharing,
Dave
 
I use 1/8 inch HSS lathe bits for metal lathe set in a mild steel handle. Pre hardened and hold an edge well,and I don't have to worry too much about overheaing when resharpening on a belt grinder.
Nice cutting Sam, fun stuff eh.
Darcy:)
 
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