Hello to All
I need to size a mokume ring up.It is stamped 18K@Cu. Any suggestions about solder, surface shield ect would be most welcome.
Cheers
Franz
How much do you have to size it up? Is it a band ring? Is it lined? Do you know who made the ring?
Just my opinion, but if you can figure out the maker I would ask them. A lot of times mokume jewelry makers prefer to size their own rings. They might even do it for free or tell you what they suggest as next steps. Some folks offer lifetime sizing for the original buyer.
If you do have to size it are you thinking of stretching it or cutting it and adding in gold? Most mokume pros join the layers in a kiln or a gas forge with no solder. Some folks though join the layers with solder. The solder method is way more complicated to size.
That’s why I’m asking so many questions. Potentially there’s multiple variables happening at once.
Jeff
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Thanks for your reply Jeff.
Ring is going up from 7full to 8. It is 7.5mm wide and 1.75mm thick with single dia. It is lined. Signed G Sawyer? And has trade mark. Will try to send pics later. I did a search and found Sawyer Jewelers in Michigan.
Franz
did another search and found George Sawyer Mokume. Looks like he is retired but I will try to contact him on FB.
Oh i love this art. I have a book on it. My cousin makes the knives. Can we see it?
I tried doing some research for you, but didn’t come up with much. I’m surprised that the answer to your question isn’t hidden within the forum archives. Then I searched the internet via Google. Lots folks say that they’ll size a mokume ring that they made, but I couldn’t find any tips on how to size one that’s not theirs.
This leads me to Steven Jacobs and I think you consider reaching out to them.
Their company is a father and son team. Steve Midgett (the father) and Jacob Midgett. Steve Midgett wrote the book Mokume Gane - A Comprehensive Study. It’s an excellent mokume tutorial. You can buy the book on their website, but it’s also available to read online on their website for free, which is amazing!
I’ve known each Steve for long time and I’ve always found him to be incredibly generous with sharing info.
There’s a good chance that this ring is seamless, which means that if you cut it open it won’t be seamless anymore. With the diamond setting and the liner, it’s actually a complicated scenario.
Steven Jacobs has an info page on resizing one of their rings. It doesn’t give too much practical info, but it does say that resizing a mokume ring with a set stone and a liner requires extra work and that they need to have a conversation with the customer before sizing.
Sorry this is so complicated for you! But as they say, no good deed goes unpunished. At least you’ll learn a lot!!
Jeff
Hi,
James Binnion comes to mind…he is a master, and an Orchid member of long standing.
here is his website…perhaps you could reach out to him…
julie
Thanks Julie. James is a most amazing guy who shares is huge wealth of knowledge. I always read, posts, articles he shares.
I did reach out to Steven Jacobs to see if they would do.
And thanks to Jeff for detailed way to move forward. I am a trade jeweler with 50 years at the bench and these days I say no a lot and am at the top of the food chain for jewelers in theses parts. Remember tryng to size a Pt -Au band that went south fast. The cure was to clamp the Au to keep it from expanding the seam after soldering the Pt. what a pain that was.
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