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Gravers 101: The No-Stress Guide to Getting Started
Tool Selection Made Easy, So You Can Focus on Creating.
Jenessa Dee
January 26, 2025
Hey, it’s Jenessa.
In today’s issue:
Deep Dive: Here are the tools to help you begin your engraving journey…
Let’s Connect: Here’s how I can help you...
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•PRESENTED BY THE ARTIST BURROW DESIGN + BUILD
•INTRODUCTION
Graver Overload? Here’s Your Step-by-Step Guide to Get Started.
Have you seen talented hand engravers on social media effortlessly carve intricate scrolls and bright-cut patterns on jewelry and thought...
I wish I could do that!
Well, you can.
It just takes practice, the courage to start, and a persistent belief in yourself.
Reminding your brain, again and again, I CAN do this.
I know it can feel overwhelming, especially when you see all the different graver options and find yourself thinking...
Where do I even start?
Don't worry— I've got you covered.
For the next few weeks, I'll walk you through graver selection and sharpening, keeping it as simple as possible.
This week, we'll start with the easiest gravers to use. Spoiler: they're pre-cut! And a quick, affordable way to keep them sharp.
That way, you can spend more time creating and less time fussing with tools.
Let's get into it...
•DEEP DIVE
Raise Your Hand if You Like Easy Graver Sharpening and Selection!
Every masterpiece starts with the right tools.
Gravers are your magic paintbrush for metal. Master them, and your polishing, shaping, and engraving will reach a new level!
After 20 years as a professional jeweler, I swear by carbide gravers.
They're tough, stay sharper longer than steel, and deliver clean, precise cuts on metals like gold and platinum. They save you time on sharpening, making them the only gravers I trust.
👉🏻 Handle them carefully—carbide is brittle and can chip if dropped or over-stressed. This guide focuses exclusively on carbide gravers to help you make the most of these powerful tools!
Getting Started
The simplest way to begin engraving is by ordering pre-cut gravers in the angle and shape you need.
I highly recommend the C-Max line by GRS for those who want to keep things simple.
This line includes pre-cut carbide gravers in various shapes that easily fit into a tool holder and quickly attach to a handpiece and air system.
Check out this article here if you want a deeper dive into air systems for stone setting and engraving.
•TOOL LIST
The Key Shapes You Need to Know…
When you're just starting, focus on these six shapes. Think of them as your core graver squad.
Shape: Long and narrow with a rounded point. It comes in various widths—my most used size is a #2.
What It Does: Cuts borders, polishes hard-to-reach places and cuts delicate detail work.
Shape: An angled graver that tapers down. My most used size is a #40.
What It Does: Ideal for polishing and smoothing out surfaces, like a squeegee for metal. Some jewelers use it for scrollwork engraving or lettering script.
Shape: Comes to a sharp V-point with a 90-degree angle.
What It Does: Great for cutting borders and deeper engraving.
Shape: Similar to the 90-degree but with a slightly narrower V-point.
What It Does: It's the precision scalpel of your graver set—my go-to tool for cutting borders and polishing hard-to-reach areas.
105-degree and 6. 120-degree Gravers
Shape: Broad V-angles for bright cuts that really capture the light.
What They Do: Wider angles are ideal for hand engraving. I use them for decorative scrollwork or full and half wheat patterns.
👉🏻 PRO TIP: To keep things simple, start with a 105-degree graver for scrollwork or wheat engraving. The deeper cuts make it easier to sand or burnish away any gouges if you happen to slip and still keep your main pattern visible. Add wider angles the more comfortable you get.
Keep Your Gravers Sharp
Nothing ruins your engraving flow like a dull graver.
It won't cut cleanly or deliver the crisp lines you want.
Test your graver on your thumbnail—if the tip catches, it's sharp. If it slides, it's time to sharpen those angles.
For a top-tier option, use a hone system to sharpen C-Max gravers. This tool set starts at $1,695.
Need a more budget-friendly option? Try this $170 diamond wheelset:
When used in order with a micromotor and optics, these wheels sharpen face and heel angles in seconds.
While they take practice to master, they're worth every penny—even if you own a hone.
With sharp tools and the right technique, you're ready to elevate your engraving game.
Keep practicing, creating, and telling yourself you can do it!
•THAT’S A WRAP
Before you go…
Now, I want to hear from you! What should we dive into next week?
Lindsay gravers?
A step-by-step video demo on using the diamond wheelset?
Hit reply and let me know what excites you most. Until then, keep practicing, creating, and telling yourself you can do it.
P.S. Even the pros started somewhere... now grab a carbide graver and start engraving!
