I never wear anything when I buff.
You are buffing in the nude?
I like to keep a wet, folded paper towel (Bounty) close to the
buffing wheel. It’s easy to cool hot jewelry or hold it with the
paper towel. If the wet towel catches on the wheel it
safelydisintegrates. An index finger discolored by polishing can be
considered a badge of honor. John
I never wear anything when I buff.
Joy, I, at least keep my boxershort on!
Peter
Spain
Folks, I’m not insisting that any of you use gloves. All I’m doing
is showing you that “I” can polish with gloves. And like I said in an
earlier post: I have NEVER seen any polisher in the jewelry or silver
industries NOT using gloves. Not in 34 years. And Rhode Island has
many plating an finishing companies. Even when I visited the Tiffany
factory in Parsippany, NY, EVERY polisher wore them.
If you don’t feel comfortable, simply don’t use them. I respect
that.
I’m not looking for a fight, I’m stating what I do and what I’ve
seen.
Jeff
Hi Gang,
I’m at sixes & sevens about using gloves while polishing. I tell
students never, but I do sometimes use the thin nitrile gloves
when polishing, or around machine tools. But only those gloves.
I’ll tell you why: I’ve gotten them caught once or twice. They
shredded cleanly. Didn’t try to suck me in, they just tore. Anything
heavier would have tried to suck me in.
One can (and I have) debated my wisdom in doing this, but here’s a
data point from the real world: the thin nitrile gloves shred.
Normally, I only use those gloves around the machine tools, because
some of the coolants are really nasty, and I’m trying to limit my
exposure. (the coolant for the lathe that makes all the clamps for
the Knew Concepts saws? You get it on your nitrile gloves, and
you’ve got 30 seconds to swap them out before it eats them. Vile
crud, but it’s a great coolant.) Given that, I’ll take the risk of
the occasional run in with a machine spindle.
For buffing, I keep a couple of scraps of suede leather that I use
to pinch the work in. If the machine wants it, the machine can have
it. It doesn’t hurt that years of buffing have pretty well fried the
heat sensors in my hands. I don’t feel the heat much, so I can bare
hand it more than you’d expect.
YMMV,
Brian
In my experience, which is several decades ago as I’m just getting
back into the trade, polishers who work on jewelry rarely wear
gloves. But polishers who work on hollowware and flatware invariably
use gloves, not to keep their hands from getting dirty or hot, but to
keep tarnish-making skin oils and sweat off of the silver.
Tiffany’s Parsipanny, NJ facility was its hollowware and flatware
factory and warehouse, so naturally all the polishers would wear
gloves.
Elliot Nesterman
I use tight fitting latex or vinyl gloves under those cheap, one
size fits all gloves, that go on sale at big box stores such as
Target or Walmartin the spring. Works good for me. Been doing it for
years. Never had a problem, keeps my fingers protected from the
buffing compound and heat.
The only official training I had in terms of working with metal was
in a machine shop. So I was taught that if you are working with low
geared, strong machines that turn, wearing gloves or loose clothing
or loose long hair can trap you and pull you into the machine.
But I think we are talking about two issues here. The polishers are
pointing out that you can’t touch silver with your fingers without
getting it dirty so you should wear gloves. While others are talking
about safety.
I agree so the best method between safety and not getting finished
metal dirty is to make for find finger gloves. If your finger gloves
get in the machinery, they will rip themselves off instead of pulling
your whole hand and mangling your fingers or worse. It will take
extra time to put them on but if you are working with larger horse
power machines, it may be worth a few moments time.
I have lots of cotton gloves because I used to collect antique
pistols, they are easily cut with scissors. I’ve seen some people
just make finger gloves for the thumb and your first two fingers so
it’s even faster and easier.
Rick
I have heard lots of “old timers” say that polishing with gloves is
no problem. This is true till the one day you manage to get caught
by the wheel or spindle. If you are ok with the idea of loosing a
couple of fingers have at it.
James Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts
I wonder how many of you are using inexpensive benchtop dust
collectors with Fiberglas filters. Or not using respirators when
polishing. Or still using silica-based polishing compounds. I could
do this all day, but I’m not going to.
Jeff
Thanks Brian, my nitrile gloves did not shred BEFORE hauling my hand
into the spindle behind the buff and battering my fingers pretty
badly. I have now implemented the solutions advised by Don, Rob and
some others to my polishing motor.
I’m wondering if my nitrile gloves were too good quality. is there
such a thing? I do know they did not fit snuggly so that was part of
the problem. As Jeff pointed out we ought be properly trained on how
to fit and use gloves. As for my students I will continue to advise
’no gloves’ so we don’t experience any horrific drama of the worst
kind!
Its so kind of all you BUSY! old hands to spare the time to write in
and share your thoughts, the collective experience and wisdom here
is much appreciated! Aurora
Joy, I, at least keep my boxershort on!
giggle Hopefully your N95 rated filtration mask too Peter!
Aurora
Its strange in tjis discussion I did not see anyone
mention safe motors, I had the pleasure of working for a shop in
early 90s that haf been around since 1910, their polishing motor was
a leemans safety polishing system tjey callef it, which used a
leather belt from the motor to the centeral shaft that had the
tapered spindles on each side. It ran at different speeds as you
needed it, but if you needed to stop the shaft all you had to fowas
grab the shaft in the middle and it would stop by the belt coming
loose off it, the motor krpt turning below under the cabinet, but
disengaged from tje shagt and tje minute youlet go of the shaft it
realigned and re engaged the belt and started turning again. So with
that if you got caught, glove or workpiece you could slow fown the
shaft or stop it. Too bad that technology no longer is used, we now
use strictly direct drive motors. Just like a torch or pressured gas
tanks polisjing motors are safe till they are not in split second
mistake. About wearing gloves, we were trained in schoolto wear
them, but I dont while polishing, but do while file and sanding and
handling cuastic materials. Have gotten heavy allergies now to
almost every material we work with. I learned jow to polish
correctly, at the Paul Morreli shop when I first graduated. The test
was to wear a white shirt and at the end a polishing day have no
polishing compound on you or your hands. it was very good training.
Just my 2 cents.
Anyone rolling through RI is welcome to stop by my shop and watch me
polish with gloves.
Jeff
Have gotten heavy allergies now to almost every material we work with. I learned jow to polish correctly, at the Paul Morreli shop when I first graduated.
That’s some test on how to polish. So how did you manage to keep
clean???
To all:
I greatly detest those who have only “heard” of something happening
in a jewelers work shop and are full of advice and recommendations.
In my twenty-eight years of jewelry trade school teaching there was
one student who did not listen to the no gloves policy of jewelry
polishing.
She proceeded to polish an assignment with gloves on and got the
glove caught in the spindle.
Three of her fingers were bent back to touch the back of her hand. I
was in the next room and rushed to her crying and passing out.
She came to within a minute (while we had call 911) and bent the
fingers back into position herself. Perhaps a reflex motion. I
watched her do this as she cried out in pain.
All of this happened within moments of the initial accident. She did
not lose any fingers, but was in physical therapy for over a year
with her hand.
She became a jewelry store salesperson and manager and never went
back to the bench.
Having seen several silversmiths work on various large pieces I can
appreciate how Jeff works with his experience. No criticism here. I
observed heavy leather gloves, nothing that would tear off or get
caught.
Every part of our work has varieties of technique. I myself would
not wear gloves polishing jewelry. I have worn leather gloves to do
some grinding on a belt sander.
I will always advocate using the rubber finger cots available at
most office supply stores. They come in several sizes to fit
comfortably snug and I have had them pulled off my fingers with no
ill effect.
As the pieces being polished get warm they allow a good grip and
keep my fingertips clean.
The last time I commented on an issue was when casting we had a
flashback happen in the casting hose. I hope I don’t have some expert
tell me I need their approval having experienced this polishing
accident.
Kind regards,
Todd Hawkinson
thanks for that hratchbabikian. I googled for the leeman set up and
couldn’t even find a photo of it.
I’d love to take one of those classes! Only makes sense that if the
shirt is not covered in compound that there is very little in the
surrounding air to breath in - even with a mask it lingers a while
afterward Aurora
Can you suggest a silica free compound that would give a final quick
finish to sterling and gold fill metals?
Many thanks!
Mendy Marks
In my polishing area I have a ventilation hood and exhaust fan - its
only 450 cfm though not the 600 cfm standard Ted Frater mentioned. I
bought some plexiglass to enclose it within so that should help
some. I do use silica free compounds and wear a mask while
polishing, absolutely!
Aurora
Hi Folks,
I don’t get why anyone would want to wear gloves when you can just
wear finger cots…?? They are easier, quicker, simpler (more like
not using anything), protect from both heat and dirt, and aid
gripping. And they come in all different sizes, thicknesses, and
even different shapes (they had blue ones specially for secretaries
with long fingernails during typewriter days…:-)…). I have
always used the rubber ones because I have found the various leather
ones too bulky.
Janet in Jerusalem