Onglette Graver — The Pointed Engraving Tool for Fine Line Work
Onglette Graver — The Pointed Engraving Tool for Fine Line Work
A lozenge-cross-section graver used for thin precise lines in jewellery engraving
The onglette graver — sometimes spelled onglet or englette, from the French onglette meaning small fingernail — is a hand engraving tool with a lozenge-shaped (rhombic) cross-section that tapers to a sharp point at the working end. It is the standard graver for fine line work in jewellery engraving, monogramming, and decorative metalwork, producing thin precise lines by being pushed through the metal surface at a controlled angle. The lozenge cross-section gives the onglette its distinctive characteristic: by rotating the tool slightly between cuts, the engraver can vary the depth and width of the resulting line within the same cut, producing the swelling-and-thinning line weights characteristic of fine traditional engraving.
Form and use
An onglette graver consists of a short steel blade — typically 4 to 8 centimetres long — set into a wooden mushroom-shaped handle that fits the engraver's palm. The blade tapers from a wider section near the handle to a narrow point at the working end, with the four faces of the lozenge cross-section ground at angles that produce the cutting edges. The included angle at the point varies depending on the intended use: 90 degrees is a common general-purpose configuration; 110 to 120 degrees gives a stiffer point suitable for harder metals or deeper cuts; 80 degrees gives a sharper point for the finest line work but is more prone to breaking under pressure.
The engraver holds the graver in the palm of the dominant hand with the handle resting against the heel of the palm, the index finger and thumb wrapped around the blade near its head. The free hand holds and rotates the work, which is typically mounted on a weighted ball — an engraver's vise that allows the work to be turned smoothly during cutting. Cuts are made by pushing the graver forward through the metal at a controlled angle, with the engraver controlling depth and direction by both the angle of the tool and the rotation of the work piece. Fine traditional engraving on jewellery requires substantial skill and is one of the more demanding of the metalworking crafts.
Sharpening and care
Onglette gravers must be sharpened frequently — every few cuts in the case of demanding work — on an oilstone or diamond lap. The sharpening process restores the cutting edges by grinding the four faces of the lozenge to the correct angles and ensuring the point is clean and sharp. Master engravers typically maintain a personal kit of multiple gravers in different angles and conditions, switching between them depending on the task at hand and the current state of each tool's edge. The geometry of the sharpened tool is critical: a slightly off-angle face will produce an inconsistent line, and a dull or rounded point will tear rather than cut the metal.
Position in the engraver's kit
The onglette is one of several principal graver shapes used in traditional jewellery engraving. Other major types include the flat graver (used for shading and removing material), the round graver (used for short cuts and detailing), the knife graver (used for very fine line work), and the bull-stick graver (used for stippling). The onglette is the workhorse for fine line engraving and monogramming work; the variation in line weight produced by tool rotation makes it the standard for traditional Western script engraving and ornamental scrollwork. The Japanese tradition of kebori hairline engraving uses similar tools with somewhat different working practices.
In the contemporary trade
Hand engraving on jewellery has become a specialist craft in the contemporary trade, with most volume production work performed by laser or CNC engraving rather than by hand. Hand engraving persists at the high end — for monogrammed signet rings, custom inscription work, and decorative engraving on bespoke pieces — and a small but committed community of master engravers continues the tradition. The onglette graver remains a standard tool in their workshops. Reference works including Untracht's Jewelry Concepts and Technology and the IGS engraving references describe the techniques in detail for those interested in the craft.