European earring posts

Jewelry Discussion
1

I have a customer that had purchased pierced earrings in Europe,
problem is that when she puts them on it hurts her earlobes. Seems
the posts on the earrings are thick, the screw type and is painful
to her ears. She has brought the earrings to me and other jewelry
makers and I do not think I can change the posts. I have suggested
putting lotion on the posts before she puts it on but that doesn’t
help her. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can make
this customer’s pain go away on these earrings? Thanks, Dolphin

2

Great laser welder repair. Cut off the old posts and weld on new
thinner ones. Fast and easy with no cleanup required. No damage to
the front side of the piece.

Tim A2Z Metalsmith Supply Inc 5151 S Federal Blvd Unit I-9 Littleton
CO 80123 720 283-7200 www.A2ZMetalsmithSupply.com

3

Dolphin,

   I have a customer that had purchased pierced earrings in
Europe, problem is that when she puts them on it hurts her
earlobes.  Seems the posts on the earrings are thick, the screw
type and is painful to her ears.  She has brought the earrings to
me and other jewelry makers and I do not think I can change the
posts.  I have suggested putting lotion on the posts before she
puts it on but that doesn't help her.  Does anyone have any
suggestions as to how I can make this customer's pain go away on
these earrings? Thanks, Dolphin

Given the fact that earlobes can stretch to an amazing degree, I
would recommend that she wear a second pair of earrings at night,
just a smooth post with a regular fastener on the back to keep it
in. Make the post with a taper, small on the end so she can get it
in, and larger in the part that stays in the ear – larger even than
the threaded posts. Then when she gets up and changes earrings, the
threaded ones will fit easily.

Short of hacking off the posts and replacing them, stretching her
piercings is the only answer that comes to mind. Good luck.

Loren

4 
Seems the posts on the earrings are thick, the screw type and is
painful to her ears.  She has brought the earrings to me and other
jewelry makers and I do not think I can change the posts.  I have
suggested putting lotion on the posts before she puts it on but
that doesn't help her.

Easiest, with the right equipment, would be to change the posts.
the right equipment might mean a sparkie welder, or a laser welder.
If you have to work only with what’s there, why can’t you carefully
file/emery off the screw threads, thus also reducing the diameter of
the post? If you’re careful, you could reduce it to that of a
standard earpost, and fit them with new friction nuts. Polished,
instead of threaded, I’ll bet they’d be a whole lot more comfortable.

Peter

5 
    I have a customer that had purchased pierced earrings in
Europe, problem is that when she puts them on it hurts her
earlobes.  Seems the posts on the earrings are thick, the screw
type and is painful to her ears.

Dolphin: Are the posts twisted? and what gauge? I use 19 ga for my
earrings. If they are just a little bit heavier gauge straight
posts (gold?) could you not just sand them down a bit to make them
thinner? I did that with some for a friend - I just took a piece of
600 grit garnet paper, folded it around the post, held it tightly,
and twisted the paper back and forth so that it would sand uniformily
all around. Then of course you need to polish a bit. You probably
wouldn’t have to sand down much. They must be very heavy gauge -
have you checked it?

K

6

You can file and polish them thinner and use regular backs instead
of screwbacks. I do it often, it works well.

7

Rather than lotion, tell her to try Neosporin. I use it all the time
and recommend it to my customers. Susan

8

Hello Dolphin, If the earring posts are too thick, couldn’t you
simply file the sides of the posts down. The posts might be
irregular or oval shaped, but would have a smaller circumferance.
You would also have to replace the screw type clutchs as they would
no longer function. Judy in Kansas

9

It is occasionally possible to simply file down the posts to a
smaller diameter. Of course they won’t be screw posts anymore, but
she could use regular backs.

Daniel R. Spirer, GG
Spirer Somes Jewelers

10 
    I have a customer that had purchased pierced earrings in
Europe, Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can make this
customer's pain go away on these earrings? Thanks, Dolphin

How about just filing the posts down? Then you can form a groove at
the end and use friction nuts. Or if you want to get tricky, La
Pousette backs.

http://www.gsgold.com/cart/search_result.asp?CATEGORY=04BacksLaPousette

Spike Cornelius Portland,
Or. RC ArtMetal

11

Tell her tp try Bacitracin or Neosporin. Clean the earrings after
wearing them. Ann Dalrymple