zen and the art of graver maintenance

Engraving can be a terribly aggravating task. Especially when one is engraving steel. Even fully annealed steel requires a brittle hard graver, honed just right to a razor sharp point. I spent several hours today "getting into the groove," which translates to lots and lots of re-sharpening my graver. Many times I broke the tip before doing any actual engraving!

Lots and lots of sharpening.

In any case, I'm in a good spot now. The graver and I are one, carving through the metal like a hot knife through butter. Until I move just the wrong way and break the tip... again.

The tally

In the past ~24 hours:

Cups of coffee/tea consumed: 7
Gravers used: 2
Hours spent sharpening gravers: too many
Fingers burned (it's hot, stupid!): 3
Fingers stabbed by gravers: 1
Dies started: 2
Dies completed: 0
Dies *almost* completed: 1
Dies bled on: 1
New punches made: 2
Moments of panic: 3
Crises averted: 3
Crises created: 1 or 2
Curses uttered: innumerable