Harvey,

Being the "Scientific" type, I thought you may have an answer to this question:

Why is it that cardide burnishers can't be used on aluminum, but diamond burnishers can?

Is it the hardness of the diamond, or the angles of the tips? I would think the cutting angles would be the same.

David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri
DGL Engraving
Port Hueneme, CA

Aluminum sticks badly to carbide, it will coat the carbide and then you get gobs of galling.

Diamond is a happier medium, more content with itself as it is. Aluminum will not stick to diamond, therefore the cutter is the cutter, not the stuck metal trying to be the cutter.

Philadelphia, PA (Really Bensalem)

Harvey's Sub Page When you finally understand it completely... it changes.

Harvey,

That makes sense. Thank you Professor Lentchner :-)

David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri
DGL Engraving
Port Hueneme, CA

Rose,

I assume you're making one pass. What you're seeing is part of the gold dye remaining in the engraved characters.

You'll either want to make two (drag) passes or use a (rotary) diamond burnisher, which, in one pass, will not only remove the remnants of gold dye, but give a polished, almost laser-engraved look.

I've also seen some people remove the "left-overs" by pressing masking tape onto the engraving and pulling out the remnants.

David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri
DGL Engraving
Port Hueneme, CA