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How Fine is Fine Line Shading?
Most of us agree that shading lines are narrower and finer than
other engraving cuts. Have you ever wondered just how fine shading lines are?
Some experienced engravers cut amazingly fine shade lines. Sam Alfano is one of them.
These photos are of a quick engraving job Sam did on an inexpensive Wenger pocket knife
at a trade show. When he engraved this knife, he had no idea it would ever be “measured”
to see how fine his shading lines actually were. The knife has chrome plating over its brass
frame. This makes the surface harder than the metal underneath and somewhat more of a challenge to the engraver.
The close-up photo is shot through a microscope equipped with a measuring reticule. Each of the small
divisions is 0.001” (0.025mm). Most of the vertical shade lines in this view vary from about 0.002”
wide down to an amazing 0.0005”. And, you can see they taper to virtually nothing.
Based on this example by Alfano, fine shading lines can routinely be about .001” to .002”
(1 to 2 thousandths of an inch) wide and finer. Good job, Sam, especially considering you
shaded this with a 120 degree wide point graver!
Tools used: GRS GraverMax, 901 Handpiece, and carbide graver.
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