Additional
benefits
The heel relieving graver can go deeper into the metal than a traditional
graver point using the same power level. The heel on the traditional
graver point is actually giving more resistance as it is driven through
the metal. This is especially evident around corners like those
illustrated in the above plate above. While making a cut, the traditional
graver tends to come up out of the metal, and it is therefore necessary to
push straight down on the point itself to hold and keep it in the cut
around the corner. This is why various books and instructions
in the past advised engravers to hold their index finger on top of the
point and push down to keep it in the cut when using a power assisted
tool. This is necessary with the traditional graver, or it would be out of
the cut and sliding across the work. The downward pressure,
however, also contributes to casting a bur on the edge of the cut. The
downwards push is trying to force the tip to do something it refuses to
do. This will help raise burs, and may require sanding the surface of the
engraving when finished. After engraving, the surface should not need to
be sanded or re-polished. If sanding is necessary, there is something
wrong with the graver point. Sanding takes away the grays that were
achieved while shading, and will lighten the overall engraving. It will
also leave white streaks in the grays of the shading. The patented
point solves this by making downward pressure unnecessary.
The uniform parallel
geometry has a shorter heel because of the secondary relief facets, and
allows the cutting edge to go through the metal cleanly. The point more
efficient in cutting, and required less power than a traditional point to
execute a cut of the same depth. The cuts in the sample plate illustrate
this by the dramatic increased depth seen in the cuts made by the patented
geometry, given the same amount of power and impact frequency as the
traditional point cuts. Since the point is cutting more easily, there is
less force on it, and therefore the breaking of points is less likely.
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