Harbor Freight sells a product called pr88. Rub some on before doing
mechanical work or polishing and the dirt washes off really easy
afterwards. I use it all the time, also it doesn’t leave a greasy or
slippery film on your hands.
Charles Long
Brenda,
I have the same problem but now I wear leather gloves purchased in the gardening section (about $5). These fit snugly and also protect your hands from hot metal due to friction on the wheel. For heaven's sake please do not wear gloves while polishing! Losing a finger is simply not worth the discomfort of the heat and mess. If gloves were the answer, this topic would not even be discussed.
Let me second Jon’s admonition. In my varied career over the past 35
years or so, I’ve seen and experienced my fair share of various
mishaps and accidents.
Most are the usual minor burns, scrapes, poked fingers, and the
like. A few were serious. With the exception of two guys I know who
removed bits of their fingers with a power punch press when they
removed the safety switches intended to prevent such accidents, all
of the rest of the serious accidents involved buffing motors. Most of
these involved improper choices as to how to hold the work in various
ways, and this includes gloves. Gloves were, in fact, responsible for
the worst of all these accidents, when a somewhat inexperienced new
polisher had his entire index finger torn from his hand when the
jewelry caught in the buff, and the glove got trapped between jewelry
and wheel, yanking it, and the enclosed finger, away.
If you must use the gloves, use them right. That means removing most
of the glove by cutting off the leather finger tips, leaving a tip
long enough to cover the end of the finger to about half way between
the last and middle knuckle. You use only the leather finger tips.
That’s enough so they won’t fall off, and will protect your fingers
from the heat, yet is still short enough so if it gets caught, it
will pull from your hand without taking the finger with it. You can
buy such leather finger cots already prepared, by the way, saving
having to disect your gloves yourself.
But even these are not always the best, since although you won’t
likely injure yourself using these, you also cannot really grip the
work as well as you can without them, and that sometimes means work
getting caught in the wheel and damaged, even if your fingers are
mostly OK.
Much better than covering your precise and sensative gripping tools
(your fingers) with a leather finger cot, is finding ways to hold the
jewelry itself. Rings can be held for polishing the insides, with a
strip of heavy leather wrapped as a C shape around the ring. You hold
the leather from the outside, and use it to grip the ring. belt
weight leather not only can grip tight, but is thick enough to not
only stop most rings that get away from you and spin on the finger
buff, but will keep that spinning ring from hitting you too. Rings
can also be put on a tapered wood mandrel to polish the ouside, and
many items can have little “nests” made of wood to cradle them for
polishing. Thats useful when you have many of a single item to
polish. The few minutes you spend making a “nexs” (just heat one item
up and burn it into the wood to create a cradle for the shape) gets
paid back quickly in the time spent polishing.
The easiest way, though, to deal with heating pieces is to polish
more than one piece at a time. If one starts to get toasty, set it
down and work on the other. Items can be quickly cooled if placed in
the air stream of the dust collector’s suction port.
cheers
Peter
I’d like to address the issue of wearing gloves while polishing.I
wear latex free Nitrile exam gloves when polishing. Unlike rubber or
leather gloves, when the nitrile glove gets caught in the buff it
simply tears away. Kinda like Silly Putty. When you pull is apart
fast it just breaks free. I’ve been doing this for years now without
a mishap.
Jo Haemer
www.timothywgreen.com
When I go out and have to get my hands looking presentable I use
"Super nail cuticle softener and remover plus stain remover" on my
hands and nails, leave it on a few minutes and scrub gently.
Surprisingly, it is less drying than anything else I’ve tried and is
effective and quick. Here in Seattle I get it at Fred Meyer.
Celeste
What’s all this nonsense about cleaning jeweler’s hands anyway? I
always view the fact that my hands are dirty as a sign of the fact
that I make my own jewelry and that I’m one of the few Americans left
who actually produce a real, physical product.
Daniel R. Spirer, G.G.
Daniel R. Spirer Jewelers, LLC
1780 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02140
I always view the fact that my hands are dirty as a sign of the fact that I make my own jewelry
Exactly, I was an automotive technician for 40 years and my hands
have been the cleanest they have been in years as a metal worker. Of
course, I probably will not get any offers to be a hand model.
I believe I saw a thread on here where an old timer looked to a
person’s hands to tell if they were a true jeweler or not.
Ken Moore
What's all this nonsense about cleaning jeweler's hands anyway?
As has been said before, there’s no problem with a male jeweller
having dirty, chopped up hands - it probably makes you look more
manly? But for some of us “ladies”, it’s different. The vast majority
of the population of jewellers appear to be middle-aged plus males -
not your normal jewellery-wearing person. For those of us women who
make jewellery, we also like to wear jewellery and for me personally,
rings are my favourite piece of jewellery. They don’t look too good
on chopped up, dirty hands.
Helen
UK
For those of us women who make jewellery, we also like to wear jewellery and for me personally, rings are my favourite piece of jewellery. They don't look too good on chopped up, dirty hands.
This is terribly interesting because –
in order to be a jeweler as a woman, you’re constantly up against
this stereotype of what a jeweler is, and it’s not little white
girl.
The stereotypical jeweler is the grumpy old man, right? Who’s worked
hard to learn everything he’s learned and who the hell are you, ya
whipper snapper?
The male badge of honor of the dirty hands… Well, how far does a
woman have to go to buy into the male model of success to be taken
seriously? Many women bench jewelers whom I’ve met are not “girly
girls” and in fact wear jeans, work hard, get dirty and all that.
Neither care if their hands are scratched, nor get regular
manicures.
I’ve also known a woman bench jeweler who would get cleaned up, get
the good jewelry out of the safe and go to the opera.
I interviewed at a place, where in order to work at the bench, they
also would require I do some sales and WEAR A SKIRT all the time! all
the time! Can you imagine? Having to do bench work in a skirt? Weird.
As has been said before, there's no problem with a male jeweller having dirty, chopped up hands - it probably makes you look more manly? But for some of us "ladies", it's different.
So true. At art fairs, I like to come out from behind my display and
put the jewelry on the potential customer. I have pieces that
require some explanation of how they are fastened. I have the woman
look in the mirror (as they will when doing this themselves) as I
fasten the piece. I cringe at the thought that they are looking at
my hands as I do this-- after all, I’m saying “See? Here’s how it’s
done!” My nails look terrible no matter what I do-- they are stained
at the tips, and far too beat-up for nail polish to help, plus it
will not stay nice through the process of putting up my booth. I’d
have to set up then go for a manicure (never actually had one…)
I don’t think anyone minds if a man’s hands look work-worn, but I
just cannot convince myself that the same standard applies to me.
(Oh, and I bite my nails too).
Noel
I interviewed at a place, where in order to work at the bench, they also would require I do some sales and WEAR A SKIRT all the time! all the time! Can you imagine? Having to do bench work in a skirt? Weird.
LOL!!! I always wear skirts, even at the bench. I simply find them to
be more comfortable than pants or shorts. And I haven’t found much
that they hinder me from doing.
Janet Kofoed
http://users.rcn.com/kkofoed
The stereotypical jeweler is the grumpy old man, right? Who's worked hard to learn everything he's learned and who the hell are you, ya whipper snapper?
That certainly seems to be the case when you see photographs of the
majority of the jewellers on Orchid, or if you wonder into any
proper jewellery store (not chain store that just sells mass produced
rubbish). But then a lot of the traditional trades are carried out
by the “grumpy old” men - sorry all grumpy old men out there!
The male badge of honor of the dirty hands... Well, how far does a woman have to go to buy into the male model of success to be taken seriously?
I don’t really think it matters whether the “grumpy old men” take us
seriously or not - or whether they think our hands are chopped up
enough. They shouldn’t get in a tizzy when someone wants to know how
best to clean away the polishing compounds. Their attitude of “they
can’t be proper jewellers if they want clean hands” just gives the
impression that they somehow feel threatened by this new generation
of jeweller who wants clean hands when not working. I think the world
and our culture has come a long way since the days when to be seen
as a jeweller you had to have dirty, chopped up hands. Move with the
times all ye grumpy old men!
Many women bench jewelers whom I've met are not "girly girls" and in fact wear jeans, work hard, get dirty and all that. Neither care if their hands are scratched, nor get regular manicures.
I’m by no means a girly girl as such and I wear jeans constantly,
apart from going out for a nice evening. Normally, when wearing my
jeans and working at the bench, I don’t care too hoots that my hands
are dirty and chopped up. I’ve never had a manicure in my life
either. But when I go out for a special evening, and wanting to wear
some nice jewellery for the occasion, I definitely do NOT want my
hands to look ugly, dirty and chopped up. And I don’t think that
such an attitude should make me any less of a “jeweller”. After I
started showing my web addresses, I’ve had quite a number of old
grumpy male jewellers email me offlist and tell me that I can call
myself a jeweller and “hold my head up high on Orchid” - even though
I’m hesitant to do so because of my lack of experience. Notice
though, that such acceptance has always been offlist and in public,
said old grumpy men will still baulk at the suggestion of some of us
women wanting clean hands on occasion. We don’t need the badge of
honour of dirty and damaged hands.
I've also known a woman bench jeweler who would get cleaned up, get the good jewelry out of the safe and go to the opera.
That would be me if my husband had an ounce of culture about him. I
would dearly love to go to the ballet or the opera but wouldn’t want
to go to such things without him as we like to spend our spare time
together. The only thing cultured about him is the face fungus he’s
grown whilst being on holiday from work! 
I interviewed at a place, where in order to work at the bench, they also would require I do some sales and WEAR A SKIRT all the time! all the time! Can you imagine? Having to do bench work in a skirt? Weird.
I’d have turned that job down for a start! I don’t like any
stereotypes. I don’t believe people should be put in boxes. I grew up
a member of a church where women had to wear skirts and hats at all
services. I’m a bit of a women’s libber I’m afraid so this grated on
me to say the least. I was relieved when we moved and our new church
didn’t care one bit if you turned up in jeans. It was better to be
there in jeans than not there at all. I don’t think God minds if the
members of his congregation wear jeans/trousers or skirts and we
shouldn’t be so bothered by it either. It wouldn’t bother me if men
wore skirts. There’s room in this world for all of us - even for
jewellers who prefer to have clean hands when they go out for an
evening!
Helen
UK
http://www.hillsgems.co.uk
http://www.helensgems.etsy.com
Helen,
I’ve been away for a few days so this is a bit delayed but:
For those of us women who make jewellery, we also like to wear jewellery and for me personally, rings are my favourite piece of jewellery.
I wear jewelry (at least two rings at all times) and still don’t find
it’s a problem. As a matter of fact we once sold an enormous, wild
bracelet I had made to a woman who had been in a horrible accident
which had done tremendous damage to her hand and arm. She wanted
people to focus on the bracelet instead of her scars. Sometimes
having something beautiful on something that isn’t focuses more
attention on that which is beautiful.
Daniel R. Spirer, G.G.
Daniel R. Spirer Jewelers, LLC
1780 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambrige, MA 02140
617-234-4392
It wouldn't bother me if men wore skirts.
Mine does. He calls it a kilt!
But he doesn’t wear it at the jewelry bench either. And I thoroughly
agree. I normally don’t care what my hands look like, but when I get
cleaned up to go out for dinner, I select out some of what I feel is
currently my best work to wear, and I scrub my hands, trim my nails
and make sure they don’t look like they’ve been mauled.
To heck with what the grumpy old men think of my hands. They should
be looking at my work to tell whether I’m a jeweler or not.
Lindsay (whose hands actually don’t look too bad right now, and who
has also never had a manicure.)
Helen,
In reply to your very interesting comments about cleaning jeweller’s
(and silversmiths) hands. I also enjoyed your other comments too! In
my humble Swarfega is the only option for hand cleaning. It has a
nice serious work done smell. Not the newer squezy bottles, but the
green stuff that wobbles in the tub.
Richard
Hi Daniel,
Yes I can see what you mean. Conversely, my best friends bites her
nails really short but is otherwise a very elegant, ladylike woman.
She won’t wear any rings apart from her wedding ring as she feels it
would draw attention to her bitten nails.
However, I don’t have a problem with the whole cleaning hands thing.
I’ve found my way of cleaning my fingers and posted it to Orchid a
few days ago. I just don’t see why some of the “grumpy old men” have
a problem with some of us ladies wanting to clean our hands. You
chaps can still have your badge of honour - we respect that - but we
can still continue to clean our hands and make jewellery too. Room
for all.
Helen
UK
http://www.hillsgems.co.uk
I interviewed at a place, where in order to work at the bench, they also would require I do some sales and WEAR A SKIRT all the time! all the time! Can you imagine? Having to do bench work in a skirt?
My former business partner wore skirts every day to work and she did
bench work. Any of my employees (almost all of whom were required to
work up front periodically) were always expected to dress
appropriately for working with customers which means, in my book, no
jeans, no torn clothes, neat and clean clothes at all times. I
didn’t care what their hands looked like (because to me it is a proud
symbol of what you do—male or female), they were always welcome to
wear aprons, but they have to be presentable. Just like I am. In the
fall, spring and winter, I wear white shirts with custom made suit
pants and suspenders every single day, and on Saturdays I include the
jacket part of the suit (although if it’s slow in the store I remove
the jacket to work). In the summer I wear the same suit pants
(actually they’re all based on a 1930-1940’s style of suit) with
nice Hawaiian shirts or something with a similar feel to it. So if I
can wear white shirts to work every day, do my bench work in them and
still look presentable, I figure anyone working for me can dress up
halfway decently if they’re going to interact with the customers. I
know a lot of you think that, in today’s more relaxed society, it
doesn’t matter how you look, but you’re wrong. Selling jewelry is
all about how you present yourself. For those of you who say my
business is fine with me looking the way I am, the thing I would say
to you is you probably don’t know how much better it could be with a
more presentable look. If you’re going to sell pieces that are
expensive, your customers are just going to feel more comfortable
buying from someone who looks like they are serious about business.
Their attitude of "they can't be proper jewellers if they want clean hands" just gives the impression that they somehow feel threatened by this new generation of jeweller who wants clean hands when not working.
I’m apparently one of those grumpy old men, but I never said you
can’t be a proper jeweler with clean hands. I just said that they are
a symbol of the fact that I am still making things with my hands,
something that is being done less and less out there. You can have
spotless hands and make good jewelry as far as I’m concerned, but I
have noticed over the years that those people who claim to be
jewelers and have spotless hands are routinely people who don’t
actually do the work themselves but are “designers” who farm all of
the work out. Obviously if you want to have cleaner hands go for it
with whatever means are necessary (I particularly liked Neil’s
suggestion of a two week vacation). However I will point out that
some of what happens to your hands over time is an indication of just
how long you’ve been a jeweler. Even when my hands are at their
cleanest, they still have multiple scars, holes, cuts, etc. because
that is just what happens to you as a jeweler after you’ve done
enough work.
Daniel R. Spirer, G.G.
Daniel R. Spirer Jewelers, LLC
1780 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02140
I am NOT your local AVON lady, but I have discovered a great way to
clean jeweler’s hands; especially with buffing compounds. Before
starting the dreaded buffing or other dirty chores, coat your hands
with Avon Silicone Glove handcream. It’s rose scented but the stuff
leaves a thin film on your skin and the buffing compounds, metal
grinding, etc will wash right off when finished. You won’t escape
calluses, but your hands will stay cleaner. Also good for gardening,
by the way.
Ruthie Cohen
but I have noticed over the years that those people who claim to be jewelers and have spotless hands are routinely people who don't actually do the work themselves but are "designers" who farm all of the work out.
Farming out work is something I’ll never do because I enjoy making
my designs myself. I will strive to learn all the techniques I want
to incorporate into my jewellery.
As I said, I don’t mind the dirty, chopped up hands the majority of
the time - it’s just to go out for a nice evening. The scars don’t
bother me - just the dirt and so I found a method for cleaning my
hands. My hands are becoming gradually more scared as time goes by,
and a few fingers are almost devoid of finger prints from holding
work whilst polishing and thus getting burned regularly.
Helen
UK
Even when my hands are at their cleanest, they still have multiple scars, holes, cuts, etc. because that is just what happens to you as a jeweler after you've done enough work.
Yeah, and you also get a more flat profile on the thumb and first
finger of your non-dominant hand as a result of pinching small
things very hard and long.
M’lou
Burt's Bee's hand salve is the best for dry and chapped hands.
Love that stuff!!! It’s great on chapped heals too! Although it’s
an end of the day thing for me as it’s a little greasy.
I also dig the Hemp Hand protector from the Body Shop (not bath and
body works). This creates a barrier to keep the bad stuff out and the
good moisture in. It’s funny because I’ll put it on and wash my hands
an hour or two later and I’m surprised at how slick my hands get. I
forget I have it on… you can actually feel it coming off, it forms
a great barrier and keeps your hands soft but not greasy while
working.
Amery Carriere Designs
Romantic Jewelry with an Edge
www.amerycarriere.com