This method of protecting a stone while polishing is pure genius, thank you so much @fione_harvey - “3M Scotch- Blue Painter's Tape is a must and go to for me. I use it to protect stone(s) when cleaning the surrounding metal after setting. I usually... more
Love this adaptation for a ring clamp to hold a ring while polishing the inside @fibre.and.flame - “I cut some grooves in my ring clamp to make it easier to file and polish the inside. Those buggers get hot when you take the polishing bit to them with... more
I will often modify the shape of my silicone mandrels with a file (it’s an old and also cheap file I obtained at a hardware store). In this instance I wanted the mandrel flat so I could work inside my ring but you can create all types of curves. The... more
If you are polishing a pendant at a buffing machine use this amazing tip from @shmick_shmack - “Sling a paper clip through the bail and hang on for dear life!” 😂🙏🏻♥️ thank you so much for sharing! Have you figured out a unique way to hold something... more
Next time you are polishing a ring with your flexshaft, try holding it on a wooden mandrel. It will protect your fingers when the piece gets hot and also help prevent the ring from getting flung across the room! Thank you @noctuajewellery 🙏🏻😘 and to... more
Last week in my stories we discussed what you can do to help combat/prevent/minimize tarnish on silver pieces when they are sitting out on display in boutiques. Thank you to each of you who reached out, (I got over 50 messages) I appreciate you all... more
Here is just one of the many solutions for setting a bezel in a tight space (stay tuned for more!) from @gildedpoppyco “I made this tiny pusher out of a little stainless steel nail by grinding and polishing the head and mounted it in the handle. I... more
For this #tooltalktuesday I’m super excited to discuss my Lortone tumbler, given to me by @seattlefindings 😃 Members of the community ask me all the time whether tumblers are worthwhile and they absolutely are! UPDATE *They can add some strength... more
For this #tooltalktuesday I wanted to show off the Lortone Rock Tumbling Abrasive and Polishing Kit which was included with my Lortone Tumbler from @seattlefindings the set includes four compounds which you mix with water and tumbling time is between... more
This is a two-for-one tip from @daveaugustdesign When using a hand vise you can place a rubber band inside to help prevent your metal from getting marred. Dave also shared how he sands and polishes inside the tiny details of his work. “Strips of 3m... more
Here is a super useful tool to remove scratches in a stone from @chromarocksjewelry -“This is the ‘Gem Shine Polishing Wheel’ It's great for removing light scratches from stones/cabochons. It works great on opals, turquoise, onyx and others that are... more
I wanted to share my process of making my earring wires soft and wearable and I’d love for you to tell me about yours! First I use a Busch Twincut Concave Cone Bur and this awesome tool rapidly rounds down the end of my wire (the macro video just... more
Here is an awesome technique for cleaning your polishing buffs from @piecesofstarrjewelry (turn your sound on, to hear her explain 😁) she takes her file brush which has small steel bristles and uses it on her polishing wheels when they are in need of... more
Here is an awesome technique for sharpening your gravers from @jewelleryinstitute - “To polish this square graver on the fly instead of taking it to the sharpening table, we use a Ceragloss yellow fine diamond wheel, make sure it has a backing on it... more
Here are some fabulous tips for stamping straight from @everthine_jewelry - “We all thought that metal stamping would be easy, right?! Then you tried to stamp a word... your letters were all over the place, they almost seemed to be dancing. Here is... more
This is an important SAFETY 😎 tip from @letsmakejewelry - “When I was an apprentice back in the 80's my teacher was quite strict and told me I would be automatically fired if I ever had a piece of jewelry get "away" from me when polishing. He then... more
Here is a tip for removing patina by hand from @oxbow_studio - “The best thing I’ve found to remove patina from detailed components or stamped embellishments are the Pre-Polishing Pads (item #337020) from Rio. They quickly and easily wipe away patina... more
Here is a tip for polishing some of those hard to reach spots: Dedeco Midgets! I received a few of these in last month’s @benchtooljunkies box and liked them so much I went ahead and bought enough to make a set! These polishing bits come in a wide... more
This week’s #metalsmithsocietyminiseries post is a bit subjective. I wanted to share some of my favorite abrasives, polishers and bits that I use regularly in my studio. Many of them we have discussed on the page before! I also welcome everyone to... more
Love this tip for polishing tight spaces from @williamwhitejewelry - “I have been asked a few times recently about cleaning round claw settings etc. ‘Mitchell’s Abrasive Cords’ is the answer. I had a look at there website, it could not be more... more
