I hope someone can help me. I’m still having problems with the
finish of my jewellery. I’ll outline the steps I currently take and
the problems I’m having.
I use files of different grades to get rid of any small bits of
excess solder and blend the solder seam into the rest of the metal
and of course to refine the shape. As some have suggested, I will
work perpendicular to the previous filing, when going onto the next,
finer grade of file. I loupe it between each stage to make sure it’s
ready to proceed to the next one. Tops and bottoms of bezel settings
get sanded with different grades of sandpaper on a smooth, level
surface. Any burrs are removed.
I then use various grades of rubber wheels, again, louping between
each one - only those rubber wheels which give a smoother finish
than the files I’ve already used.
Then I use different grades of polish. Yellow Dialux really cuts
where necessary. I then tend to put the piece in my tumbler with
steel shot and burnishing compound for two hours to give a certain
degree of work hardening. I’ll set any stones at this point. Any tool
marks are filed with a fine file before the piece is polished with
Fabulustre and then jeweller’s rouge.
However, my problem is that after all that work, when the piece has
a lovely glossy shine, in certain lights and at certain angles,
deeper (but now rounded and smoothed out) scratches are then showing
up from earlier in the process. Scratches which appeared, even
through the loupe, to have disappeared - although they obviously
hadn’t! I’d liken it to ploughing a field, then ploughing again, but
perpendicular to the first ploughing. The first furrows appear to
have gone, but if you were to go up in a helicopter, you would
probably still be able to see the original ploughing.
This is really annoying me and I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong.
Others can’t even see what I’m talking about, as it’s only visible
in certain lights, but if I can see it, then someone else might and
I’m not happy to send it out. I’d appreciate any advice on how to
overcome these problems - thanks.
Helen
UK
http://www.hillsgems.co.uk
http://helensgems.ganoksin.com/blogs/