NAIL TOOLS: Making an engraving chisel...

1. Heat the heads of several concrete nails (bigger is better) and let them air cool to anneal (or soften) the striking surface to avoid chips etc. Heat only about 1/4" to red/orange or until it's non magnetic. If you over heat, the steel will emit sparks which means you are losing carbon content which you don't want to do.



2. Heat the pointed end to red/orange and forge flat as shown in figure 1. If you're quick you can hold this with your fingers. During the same heat, hammer a slight bend near the tip as shown in figure 3. This will save you some grinding later.



3. There are three basic parts to an engraving tool - FACE, HEEL & SHAFT
   
   
   1. You sharpen the face
   
   
   
   2. You shape the heel for the cut shape you want
   
   
   
   3. You hold or mount the shaft
   
   


4. The cutting edge is where the face and the bottom of the heel meet. The profile of the face is a cross section which has been ground off the tip, above the heel, at an angle. This will cut different shaped grooves into your work. The best one to start with is the 1/2 round.



5. Grind the heel slowly with the point up to make the bottom edge 1/2 round. If you rotate it back and forth too fast, you will get a pointed shape instead of rounded. When you're happy, smooth it off with a little wet or dry sandpaper as this will make a smoother cut.



6. Next grind the angle you want for your face. Eyeballing is good enough. Grind with the heel up if you can as this will reduce burrs and try to get the plane of the face ground perpendicular to the shaft. If its off to the right or left it won't cut straight. See large figure.



7. So far you have been working with annealed or softened tool steel which you will now harden by heating the business end to red/orange or non-magnetic and quenching vertically in water. Don't stir, swirl or move it.



8. Your tool is now hardened and ready to sharpen. Use a light touch and avoid over heating by quenching frequently in a can of water. If you can, keep the face flat and true to the original angle. If it cuts your finger nail, it will cut mild steel or annealed tool steel.



9. To cut steel, hold at a steep angle and enter the metal with one tap. Continue tapping with a light hammer while lowering the other end until the face starts to cut through the metal.



10. To cut continuous lines hold your tool at a constant angle. Too high and it dives into the metal and too low causes it to surface. With a little practice you can cut a straight line at even depth.



11. To cut curved lines you must either rotate your vise or move around the work piece as you tap the tool through the metal.
    
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