Thomas- I did look at your website and admired your creations. I hate
prong settings for lots of reasons–mostly the looks. I use mostly
bezel and tube setting for faceted stones. I am self-taught and it is
not practical for me to go away to school. Can you suggest books or
other places I can learn of tension setting? I plan to teach myself
to do channel and pave setting. The pave setting intimidates me a
little mostly due to the need to pick the right graver and prepare
it.
If YOU can self teach pave’ or channel set stones…good luck! I had
a mentor/teacher for 6 years to teach me to do these very same
things. Then I did only 9 more years to improve on these methods. No
offence, “self teaching” is not the answer, you cannot ask a book
questions. Neither can a book reply if you need personal assistance.
“Thou shalt not be intimidated by the unknown”. Once you learn by
someone else, who is there with you, shall you learn…Picking
gravers, grinding and shaping them will only allow you to be the
best possible setter…but you should have someone to guide you.
Gerry!