How would you go about repairing something like this?
It’s hollow. It started to crimp on the inside. Should I anneal it then try to form it back slowly on a wooden oval mandrel. Thoughts?
It’s hollow. It started to crimp on the inside. Should I anneal it then try to form it back slowly on a wooden oval mandrel. Thoughts?
I have no idea, but take a look at how dents are removed from brass musical instruments. There may be some ideas there.
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Hi Rob,
your mind continues to amaze me!!
Julie
cool idea, but this is tiny and not opened. Hoping to not have to cut it, Might have to cut at the bent area, reform, and solder.
The first thing is I’d make the customer aware that the repair will likely cost much more than the bracelet did.
Hollow tubular bracelets are notoriously difficult to repair. If you want to push a crushed bit back from the inside you will need to be able to get a tool, something like a snarling iron, into the tube. However, you might consider pulling it into shape from the outside, the way auto body work is sometimes done.
While there isn’t enough meat to the tube to use a screw-puller, like the body-work fellows do, you might have success with a soldered-on puller.
Solder a wire, or wires, to the outside at the crimp and use those to pull it back into shape. Then clip them off, file, sand, and polish.
Will this work? Dunno. But it’s an idea that comes to mind.
Again, make sure the customer knows it will be a very costly repair.
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for sure. Wanted to get some diff. ideas from you all and be able to let the client know.
Progressively larger ball bearings can be forced through the tube to expand the dents. But you would have to secure the tube in such a way as to not straighten the tube and lose the bangle shape. And you’d have to open the ends of the tube.
Not an easy fix at all.
Don Meixner
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Sometimes you can solder a piece of wire and pull it out slowly. Kinda like pulling a dent out of a car.
Mitch Simpson.
I might try that after annealing that area and while I reform it on little by little. Tough one!
The first question I’d ask is “What’s the material?” Is it worth the time and effort the job will take? I learned early on that I can’t fix everything and some pieces are not worth the wear and tear on my psyche. A customer’s sentimental attachment may be their motivation, but it shouldn’t be yours. Some pieces should be retired to a shadowbox and hung on the wall. After the fourth time
repairing Grandma’s favorite bracelet that the customer insisted on wearing ALL the time, including into the swimming pool and the hot tub, during tennis and hiking, I finally said, “Sorry, I can’t repair it again.” And breathed a sigh of relief. I don’t like to disappoint a customer, but…
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It’s a legit piece. 18ky, Konstontino
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I have learned to recognize my own limitations and I will add to my comment with this, this is one I would walk away from. I have a policy that is applied when I want to that says, “I am sorry, I only repair my own jewelry.”
I would apply that here. After 30 years I am still able to say I don’t have enough experience with many things. Repairs to microscopically thin walled gold tube is certainly one area I know little about. I think there may be to much possibility to create a bigger problem for a repair like that in my hands.
Don Meixner
I agree. I have asked them to send it back to Konstantino. Thank you all for your input.
Just a thought, would it be possible to cut a hole on the non ornamented interior and use a series of dapping balls or domed steel repousse tools to bump from the inside then weld a new piece over the hole?
Christine
I agree with Don. I think the physician’s oath could apply: first do no harm. And I am not ashamed to say “I’m sorry, I don’t have the skill this job requires.” (And in my case, not only re jewelry!) Of course it’s often good to ‘reach’ toward a new skill, but for me, I’d do so first with my own bracelet.
- Lorraine
“Men may keep a sort of level of good, but no man has ever been able to keep on one level of evil. The road goes down and down.” - G K Chesterton
Send it to Konstonitno
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These days I specialize in repairs.
That is one job I would highly encourage being returned to the manufacturer whenever possible.
Many manufacturers will simply replace the jewelry in a case like this, as replacing actuality costs them less than doing the repair.
If they choose to repair they have someone available who does this sort of repair regularly.
Such a repair on hollow is seldom really successful. It is a very demanding project, with lots of potential pitfalls.
Several suggestions above could work, but I would only attempt this with full understanding that my doing this repair is not advised, that I would rather Pass, and that it will be costly if I am pushed to try it.
I would have 3D scanned it, straightened it in Zbrush, 3D printed it, and cast it. Or, I may have tried to fix it by filling it with water, then freezing it, taking out the distortions while frozen, and then thawing it and removing the water. To take out the distortions I’d laser weld 18k gold wire to it in the pertinent places and pulled it back into shape with hydraulic pullers that would operate from a custom-made steel frame.
I’d make them pay me double what it was worth to do the work! 
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For sure with all of that repair; just buy a new one right. I sent it back. I heard of the waterboarding trick, but the govt. said it was illegal, so I stopped, lol. I have heard of that, but this is hollow and pierced all over the water would not stay in and build up pressure. I do want to get more familiar with Zbrush.
HAHA! Good one! 
Yeah, Zbrush is as annoying as all hell to get past the highly discombobulated learning curve, but once one does it is indispensable.
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