Perfecting finishing techniques

Jewelry Discussion
61

helen, there are ways to see scratches that you missed. If you are
finishing at 150 grit or so, just lightly hit your piece on a white
diamond (medium polish) buff, and you will see all scratches that
you missed, or sand with 400(something much finer than the grit you
are sanding with), does the same thing with no polish to clog paper,
you will see the range of scratches that need to come out. If you are
finished sanding your piece at 320-400 let’s say, a good way to see
scratches is to hit the piece on a rouge buff, then you will plainly
see any discrepencies in the field. It is kindof like traveling into
the future when you buff with rouge at the finest sanding
stage,because you see the finished surface as the rouge will polish
some metal, and you also see all the scratches you will have to go
back and take out before you reach that finish.

The sanding discs that are sold in packs with mandrils go very
fine, down to 400, they work very well for small stuff, especially
when run very slow, like 60 rpm, and if held lightly enough on the
finish sand, you can go to directly to white diamond, and forget
tripoli,btw, you might find it smart to wash off polish before
resanding.

dp

62

Jane,

As many would be able to tell you, many European counrties have a
long tradition of Arts and Trades Training. Some of these concepts
have even survived into our so-called enlightened and techinical
times.

Craftsmen (and I use that term in its true original gender manner)
often had highly skilled positions within a particular enterprise
and this was more a professional occupation than held by many in a
society who considered “Trade Work” to be at the lower end of the
socio-economic register. These Tradies were some of the first
"Specialists", and I remain indebted to those of similar ilk whom I
have employed over the years. If one of my jewellers spent over 100
hours creating a fine piece, and the setter sweated for 15 hours or
more to breathe life into it, what kind of employee do you think I
would choose to finally render its beauty for all to appreciate?
Why, none other than a craftsperson of suitable skills to match the
previous work performed.

The majority of my apprentices spent around 6 to 12 months just
polishing before they were permitted to handmake. This gave them a
much better understanding of what was required of the jeweller to
manufacture a piece that could be hand finished with minimum risks
and maximum results. Alas, “polishing” is becoming another lost art.
So many changes throughout my generation, much of it encouraging and
amazing, yet some are to be lamented. The loss of any skill is more
than simply a social comment. I’ll vacate my soap-box now.

Phil Inglis

63 
The engraving has unique texture in the bottom that can't be
touched by polishing. And the plates need a final polish without
disturbing that. I don't know the depth of it, but we're talking
1/2mm or something.

Unless I am missing something but engraving always the last step.
First do all polishing, and only then engraving. One, of course, has
to know how to engrave polished articles, but that is a different
question.

Leonid Surpin

64

Jane raised an interesting point. To address it without writing a
book is not easy, so my apologies if this post may seem a bit long.

Polishing, taking to it’s extreme, is very complicated subject.
Lapidaries know it so well. There are gemstones that can frustrate
the best efforts, regardless of the experience.

Optics is another area where polishing and magic go hand in hand.
Anybody remember Hubble fiasco? It shows that even the best minds can
screw up the polishing.

Another area is tool and die making. I once worked for a place, which
was producing dies for precious metal stamping. To minimize waste,
the dies were polished to Delta 6 standard, and some times even to
Delta 8. ( Delta is a standard used in Soviet Union. On the West,
Sigma is the term that is used. ) Delta 8 means that the largest
surface variation is less then 10 nanometers. ( 1 nanometer is 1 *
10^(-9) mm ).

To understand what Delta 8 is; if you bring two flat surfaces
together, which were polished to Delta 8 standard, it will not be
possible to take them apart without very significant efforts. Such
surfaces, bought together, will displace all the air and will be held
by atmospheric pressure like someone welded them together.

All these applications and many others require very sophisticated
procedures and brain power to apply them. That what gives polishing
it is mysterious aura. Jewellery polishing however, is not one of
them. How much sense does it make to go through the tremendous
efforts required to bring surface to Delta 8, or even Delta 6; when
such finish will be destroyed in a few weeks by simple wear.
Polishing
standards in jewellery are far more modest and need not to be
shrouded
in mystique.

That said, there are jewellery shops that produce better finish than
their peers. When asked, they would credit it to their polishing
guru. Such guru, according to them, would be a direct descendant of
Merlin, and who underwent extensive training in Polishing Arts and
all
other things of Mystery in the caves of Himalayas, and etc. As fanny
as it is, but I have seen this over and over again.

Problems with polishing usually can be traced to such simple things
as contaminated wheels, inadequate preparation, bad casting or faulty
stock used for fabrication, or even simply undisciplined approach to
polishing and washout steps.

Leonid Surpin

65

Hi Tom,

bench polishing is quite dangerous. Those little buffs (mops) they
sell for the flex-shaft should be banned. It is not the polishing
compound that is dangerous, breathing bits of the buff itself is
the killer. I think it is called black lung disease.

Wow! This had me rather alarmed! Why is it any different using a
bench-mounted polisher? There may be bits of buff flung in your face
with those too? Or is it because they are normally boxed in?

After your post, I have taken steps to get my bench-mounted polisher
set up again. Hubbies boxing it in properly tomorrow so that only
the lower part of the wheel’s leading edge will be exposed. Hopefully
then, I won’t have the problem of breathing in polish and bits of
buff.

Thanks very much for your post - it is much appreciated and has made
me change the way I will do things in future. Hopefully it’ll be set
up tomorrow.

Helen
UK

66

Frank,

Thank you for your detailed post.

Brian,

I stopped using cheap files a while ago. Since a friend gave me some
Swiss-made Vallorbe files and I experienced the quality, those are
all I use. I will be buying Vallorbe the next time I need to buy
more files too. I’m a bit of a tool snob once I try something of
quality - then nothing else will do!

Thanks for the tips on how to clean out files. I must give it a try!

Alastair,

sometimes the polish refuses to work after rubber wheeling

Ain’t that the truth?! This has also been my experience. I’m taking
people’s advice and using files much less. I resized my brother’s
wedding ring today. It needed a new piece of gold (3mm wide)
inserting into it to make it the right size - taking it from a size
U1/2 to a V1/2. The only thing I used a file for was to file flush
the two protruding ends of the new gold piece after soldering it in.
Oh, and I filed the inside of the new piece before going onto
sandpaper. I then sanded the new piece to blend in all of its
surfaces, before sanding the whole ring inside and out. I repeated
this for two grades of sandpaper, before going onto my first cut
polishing compound. I gave it one hour in the tumbler and will
finish the polishing tomorrow hopefully. I used both a sanding stick
and small pieces of sandpaper to get the desired finish, and it was
nowhere near as difficult as I thought it would be.

Ian,

Thanks for answering my questions regarding files vs sandpaper. It
makes sense. I’m using files much less now (see above) and I too
like the Vallorbe files and will be buying them one at a time because
of the price!

John D,

Do what you need to do, when you need to do it, and nothing more.
Like all things, it comes with time and practice.

I’m getting there now, thanks to everyone’s advice. I’d gone a
little off track, using files too extensively, and relying on the use
of rubber wheels. Sandpaper is giving a much more even surface.

There's no need for Helen Hill to get anywhere near so deep to
polish her rings, but it's important to know what you don't know,
too. Metals finishing is a deep subject that has specialists with
Phd's in the field.

And that’s why I like to read - I don’t like not knowing about
things - particularly in my chosen field, so I like to know what I
don’t know, if you see what I mean. Pretty much every little obscure
thing (not talking about polishing here) in life has boffins with
PhD’s. They’re the ones doing the research into just about
everything. I had read about and seen mass-production type finishing,
and that’s why I got my tumbler. However, I ended using it for
completely different reasons - to burnish/harden my pieces to enable
a more durable finish after first pre-finishing them. I still polish
as well, after setting any stones.

Jon,

I dont want to be percieved as lacking quality because of what i
said, i didnt mean that polishing should be overlooked either. I
have standards

I certainly did NOT mean to imply that you lack quality or that you
don’t have standards. That was not my intention at all. I just meant
to outline that the steps I take, which we were discussing, are
taken because of certain reasons - not just for the sake of it. Each
step such as tumbling, is taken because of certain pitfalls and
problems I’ve experienced in the past. I appreciate your advice.

JeffD,

Short and simple, sometimes a little brutal but my results are
good. Watching a professional polisher even for a couple of hours
can be very educational. They don't goof around, they just get the
job done.

I guess it’s a confidence thing. Polishing is one of the things that
has given me problems during the last couple of years, and as a
relative beginner, you can get a little bit paranoid about doing
everything right - just as the textbooks say. But stepping back,
taking a look, and having the confidence to just do what it needs is
all part of progressing. I’m getting there I think. I’m finally
getting the big polisher set up and will have to buy some new buffs
for it - then hopefully my finishing should be much better. But I
will be using the polisher for an absolute minimum amount of time
needed, after first preparing the metal properly.

Kevin,

That programme sounds fascinating. I’ve not seen it advertised, but
will have to have a look and see if I can find it. I do like my
finish to be good even through the loupe. It’s getting better.

Dave,

you really need to know the importance of a sanding stick, or
paddle, that you make yourself

I have one which I use all the time. I just need to make some new
ones, as it’s a little worn out. I’ve been sourcing sandpaper and
will be making a purchase soon, then getting some batons from the
DIY shop and making some more. They are great things.

Bonnie,

Thanks for your advice too. Metal finishing has been the bane of my
life too!

Ian Wright,

A fascinating tour of the history of file-making, and I didn’t
realise you were into horology! Something else I’d love to have had a
go at, but I’ll definitely leave that one to the experts. BTW, I
LOVED the pictures of Oliver in your tuba! They were absolutely
adorable. Grandchildren are wonderful.

Dave (dp),

Thanks for the tips regarding a quick polish to highlight stubborn
scratches. Someone else said a similar thing too, if I recall.
Definitely worth a go, until I get used to whether or not I’ve got
rid of the offending scratches. Yes, I too, would be inclined to wash
the polish off before going back in with the sandpaper.

Thanks to all folks who have answered my questions and offered
advice.

Helen
UK

67

If your enquirer is seeking a “trued” polished flat surface at the
precision of say a bank note engraving plate then it is probable that
only optical or precision surface grinding equipment will suffice.

Sub micron “mirror finish” precision can be obtained from :-
http://www.nagase-i.jp/eng/works/heimen.html

kind regards
Don Iorns

68 
The engraving has unique texture in the bottom that can't be
touched by polishing. And the plates need a final polish without
disturbing that. I don't know the depth of it, but we're talking
1/2mm or something. And the tops of the plates are flat and need to
be polished flat - like a mirror.

How about filling the engraving with wax or waterglass or such that
can be removed after the lapping process?

Pam Chott
www.songofthephoenix.com

69

helen, i don’t understand why you would polish without
dustcollection, you should make a hole in the bottom of the box
and flange then and put a dust collector hose or a wet vac hose to
it, or at least wear a filtered dust mask, and exhaust the shop
air, you should really set it up right with an exhaust hose to the
buffer, the polishing box that is sold has a flange and is cheap,
just need a hole in the bench, dp

70

Helen, The bench polisher with its vacume drawing abilities, is
usually praised because it collects the precious metal you are
rubbing off while polishing. The best thing it does, however, is keep
the cotton fibers out of your face.

Have fun.
Tom Arnold

71

In regards to file cleaning:

  1. For large hand files I use the standard file card with the rank
    and file steel bristles. Some of the file cards also have an organic
    bristle brush on the reverse side.

  2. For my needle files I chuck up a brass rod in a pin vise, file an
    appropriately sized and shaped tip on the end, then rub it from side
    to side across the teeth following their natural line. The tip soon
    has teeth in it that clear the small pieces of metal jammed in it.

In regards to finishing I learned the following:

  1. Time is usually of the essence, therefore use the coarsest tool
    you can control that will remove material quickly but not do damage.

  2. Continue with successively finer removal tools (files, sand
    paper, flex shaft media, etc.) as close to perpendicular as possible
    in reference to the preceding finish step. How many steps and how
    fine each level is will depend on the starting state and the
    coarseness of preceding material removal media.

  3. Ensure, as well as possible, that no scratches remain from
    previous finishing steps.

  4. Clean the piece as well as possible to prevent contamination from
    previous finishing steps.

  5. Don’t mix finishing media so as to prevent cross contamination of
    finer media by coarser.

Those are the basics I always keep in mind. Obviously there are many
other things I may consider depending on the piece and circumstances.
Is it pierced? Does it have a texture finish I don’t want to remove?
Does it have a patina I need to preserve in some places? What tools
do I have available? The list is endless, yet I’ve found the basic
above still apply.

Mike DeBurgh, GJG
Henderson, NV

72

Helen,

After your post, I have taken steps to get my bench-mounted
polisher set up again. Hubbies boxing it in properly tomorrow so
that only the lower part of the wheel's leading edge will be
exposed. Hopefully then, I won't have the problem of breathing in
polish and bits of buff.

I’m not sure but it sounds like you are not planning for any dust
extraction. You don’t just try to contain the dust you suck it up.
Polishing is much more fun (and safer) with good dust extraction,
unfortunately there is a reason dust stuff costs several time as
much as even a premium polishing motor. It is possible to home brew
one cheap, a squirrel cage blower sucking air from low and behind the
buff (a 3/4 hood helps), some sort of updraft filter is nice but you
can also just blow the stuff outside.

Don’t dismiss a good polish motor as just a final quick way to get
something shiny. It is also a very useful tool for shaping metal and
reducing the amount of pre finishing needed. It does deserve more
respect than a flex shaft but is still just another tool.

jeffD
Demand Designs
Analog/Digital Modelling & Goldsmithing
http://www.gmavt.net/~jdemand

73

Seems like a lot of interest and input for a subject that isn’t that
complicated. In the end what works for you works for you, so go with
that til you get something better going. I’m headed into my 4th
decade
at this stuff so here’s a few experienced suggestions…

get yourself a powerful TWO speed buffer. 1/4 horsepower will do
most all jewelery sized object well. 1/3hp even better if you do
either a lot objects or larger objects. Having the option of running
at 1500 rpm gives you a safety margin when you need it. Polish chain
or neckwires at hi speed and you could potentially lose a finger or
an eye(not to mention killing the piece)…no kidding. Not to unduly
scare you but get the right tool!

match the wheel to the work. Got lots of material to remove? large
hardish wheel with aggressive compound. ready for final finish? Soft
wheel.

Throw your red rouge away. Red rouge has a small window of
opportunity (and it fouls the shop big time) Linger too long and you
may start getting tiny dimples that mimic porosity in appearance.
Generally speaking your final polishing step should take a matter of
seconds if you’ve done the prep well.

years ago I too used a multitude of graduated sandpapers, would take
a long time to polish a newly fabricated plat wedding band. Then one
day I woke up. Now I routinely refinished even the most abused plat
bands, gouges ginks dents and all in a few minutes with heavy
pressure, hi speed, pt tripoli, zam and then blue(do use a wooden
ring stick). No difference in appearance, big difference in
labor/time. Oh, for really heavy cutting of a mangled band, hold the
ring stick at about 60 to the wheel, this helps you maintain original
contour.

If you are stuck using the flexshaft for polishing, accept that the
finish will never be quite as good as you could do with a lathe. Its
wheel speed (surface speed technically) and width. small wheels will
leave many more polishing marks than wide wheels because you have
lots more wheel edge contact. That being said I use the flex for
polishing a fair amount. Chalk that up to laziness. I use soft white
bristle brushes with whatever compound is needed. the soft brush
tends to ‘feather out’ and diminish wheel marks. Doesn’t work very
well on an inch wide smooth silver cuff, but rings n things,its OK.

You generally don’t have to ultrasonic between compounds. If you did
it right there’s virtually no compound on the piece anyway(excepting
settings with lots of nooks and crannies). Wipe with a paper towel
usually suffices… Do be careful not to charge your wheels with the
wrong compound though. I haven’t had to rake a wheel in years, ask me
where my rake is and I couldn’t tell you.

This is for normal everyday polishing directed at beginning jewelers,
obviously

74 
precision of say a bank note engraving plate then it is probable
that only optical or precision surface grinding equipment will
suffice.

Thanks, Don… I posted partly for him, but largely for my own
enlightenment as to what’s out there. Those machines are overkill,
but certainly along the right track. I was wondering if there was
such a thing that does something less precise/expensive
than.5um…! I know I’ve seen machine finished items out there,
I’ve just never seen the machines used…

There’s also precision lapping that’s more economical, but it’s also
overkill and it takes a long time, too…

I think your link would be good for 1,000 parts/day, not sure it’s
economical for 100, though… Just wondering if there’s a better
solution than lapping so many parts where any mistake turns into
scrap, but bank note or AAA gage block finish isn’t necessary…

75

Hello John, Youcan polisha flat surface by hand if you tape a piece
of paper to a sheet of glass, rub it all over with bobbing compound
and then rub the piece of jewelry back and foth across it until
you have a pre polished surface. Repeat this process with red rouge
and you have a nice polished surface. It is slow, but it works.

Tom Arnold

76 
precision of say a bank note engraving plate then it is probable
that only optical or precision surface grinding equipment will
suffice.

A small sheet of 1/4in perspex (lucite) with either 3M lapping film
or diamond paste is about the quickest way to get a flat polished
surface. Use maybe 3 different pieces of perspex - one of each grade
of diamond, with maybe 15u, 6u and 1u diamond lapping paste and,
when not in use, keep the perspex sheets ( with the grade marked on
them) in clearly marked, zip-top polythene bags - don’t just put any
piece of perspex into any bag or the cross contamination will stop
you getting a polish. The 3M lapping film is available in similar
grades and should last a long time if cared for.

Ian
Ian W. Wright
Sheffield, UK

77 
However, it is VERY dirty! I always end up looking like a chimney
sweep after using it.

If so, then I’d say that your dust collection is faulty. You are
probably breathing it, too.

M’lou

78 
A small sheet of 1/4in perspex (lucite) with either 3M lapping
film or diamond paste is about the quickest way to get a flat
polished surface.

1/4" plate glass works well, too.

Al Balmer
Sun City, AZ

79 
I'd say that your dust collection is faulty. You are probably
breathing it, too.

I’m not sure if it was me who said that or not, but if it was, then I
didn’t have any dust collection until a few days ago. I now have a
bench polisher with dust collection - a bit of a Heath Robinson
affair made from a bench grinder with homemade enclosure and
industrial vacuum cleaner - but it’s doing the job nicely.

Helen
UK