EC Lyons : Tint Tool : # 4

Wood engravers use Tint Tools to create incisions on the surface of woodblocks. As woodblocks are inked with a roller, these recessed incisions do not receive ink. They therefore show up white in the final print.

This is a medium Tint Tool (#4), designed for cutting straight lines of a constant width. The trade engravers of the Nineteenth century referred to a series of parallel lines as a 'tint'. They used tints to depict colour and form; by varying the width and spacing of the lines that made up their tints, they were able to attain a sophisticated range of mid-tones, between the white of the paper and the black of the ink.

This tool is not designed to cut curves; use a Graver or (preferably) a Spitsticker for that. The shank of the tool may be damaged if you force it to make corners.

This tool was made from high carbon tool steel in the United States by E.C. Lyons. It is supplied factory-sharp, but it has not been honed to a fine edge. Please note, engraving tools are known by different names in the UK and the United States. Tint Tools are known as 'Angle Tints' or 'Angle Tint Tools' in the US.