From:
"Pete Bracken" <caverpete7@zzzzzzzzzzzzz>
Date:
Sun, 16 Jul 2006 14:09:03 -0400
Subject:
stone letter cutting tools
Hi All - A good source of diamond sharpening stones is any woodworking
supplier. For example, Woodcraft has several two-sided diamond plates in a
variety of grits, like 250 & 400 or 400 & 600:
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=5113
I have been using both of these combos to keep my chisels very sharp. The
250 grit will take out tiny nicks or missing corners pretty fast. Works
well with tungsten carbide or tempered steel.
Another suggestion for mallets, especially when lettering oolitic limestone
or slate, is to use a dummy with a brass or bronze head (also found at
various woodworking suppliers). They give a sweet strike to the chisel,
much like a lead/zinc dummy. My second favorite after bronze are the
Tiranti soft iron dummies. I use steel for lettering hard stones. My
personal preference has always been a round dummy as opposed to a hammer
because the dummy is always oriented correctly with respect to the chisel.
Not necessarilly so with a hammer; a bad strike from a mis-oriented hammer
face may ruin an otherwise perfect letter. One of these days I'm going to
experiment with various metal balls/spheres to use for striking chisels
since I usually hold the dummy by its head anyway (the handle being almost
unnecessary).
As for chisels, I (like Ian) prefer Guillet's Europ Univers TCT chisels
from France. One place to get them is Avery Knight Bowlers in Bath,
England:
http://www.averyknight.co.uk/itemlist.php?clashist=-1,119,141&findclas=141&findchil=1
I have tried twice in two years to order the Scottish mallet headed TCT
lettering chisels from The Compleat Sculptor but they are always out of
stock in the sizes I want (4, 6, and 8mm).
Thanks George and Gordon for the info on tempered steel chisels for
lettering. I have a lot of old pneumatic and regular straight chisels that
would probably work. I have always used TCT chisels but why not broaden
horizons!
Happy Lettercutting!
Pete Bracken
http://public.fotki.com/pbracken/
- References
- message 00359: stone letter cutting tools - Gordon Brown (15 Jul 2006)
- Previous by Thread: message 00361: stone letter cutting tools - h.bremner (15 Jul 2006)
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- Previous by Date: message 00362: stone letter cutting tools - George Graham (15 Jul 2006)
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