This question has been floating around in my mind for a few months
and now is the time to act [ask].
There was a recent suggestion to add cyanoacrylate adhesive, (super
glue) to the knot of pearls. I have seen on numerous occasions that
this glue is too stiff for the situation. It actually causes the cord
to weaken sooner because of stress and lack of flexibility. The
adhesive to use is “Jeweler’s Cement” or “Crystal Cement” that
watchmakers used to hold watch crystals in place. It comes in a small
tube with a needle tip applicator. I have seen it for purchase in many
places that carry beading supplies. It can be obtained through Rio
Grande.
That being said, on to my situaion: I have used the jewelers cement
for stringing pearls but find that the viscosity plus the heat from my
hand causes more glue to be applied than I am comfortable with. In the
process of working those three knots I feel like an octapus with not
enough arms. I am holding the strand, trying to keep the tension on
the cord, trying to make the perfect tight knot, taking the cap from
the glue tube, fighting the fact that the adhesive is oozing out of
the tube, wiping away the excess glue from the applicator BEFORE
application to the knot, wiping the excess glue from the pearls AFTER
application to the knot, the repeating the operations 2 more times.
WHEW!! There must be an easier way.
Has anyone tried or does anyone know if the solution that is used to
stop cloth from fraying can be used for beading knots? I have a bottle
of Fray Check from the Dritz Corporation that I used in the past to
keep the cut edge of satin from fraying. It certainly did that. The
instructions say that if too much is applied then use rubbing alcohol
to remove excess. It also mentions that it is flamable. On the surface
it sounds like a less viscous version of the Jewelers Cement. My
thoughts are to completely knot the pearls then later apply the Fray
Check and let it absorb into the knots rather than sit on top like the
Jelers Cement appears to. The finished produ ct should appear more
professional.
Am anxious to hear if anyone has already fought this particular
dragon.
Orchid Rules!..Karla from So Calif where we are having summer
temperatures in mid winter
Has anyone tried or does anyone know if the solution that is used to
stop cloth from fraying can be used for beading knots? I have a bottle
of Fray Check from the Dritz Corporation that I used in the past to
keep the cut edge of satin from fraying. It certainly did that. The
instructions say that if too much is applied then use rubbing alcohol
to remove excess. It also mentions that it is flamable. On the surface
it sounds like a less viscous version of the Jewelers Cement. My
thoughts are to completely knot the pearls then later apply the Fray
Check and let it absorb into the knots rather than sit on top like the
Jelers Cement appears to. The finished produ ct should appear more
professional.
I use Fray Check for my knots in beading, and it does indeed absorb
into the knot, and is flexible, but my beef with it is that its
applicator is less than precision and it does get all over the beads.
I didn’t read the part about getting excess off with rubbing alcohol,
and I’ll try that. I’ve been just rubbing/peeling the excess off after
it dries, but it’s hard to see the excess until an end of it starts
fraying off a neglected bead.
I maybe jumping in where I shouldn’t. My wife learned to string a
number of years ago. I never had the patience for it. Stringing is a
skill of patience and repetition, which of course can look easy. It
is not!
Regarding a good knot sealer, she was advised by someone early on to
use clear fingernail polish. The products you have mentioned sound
better intended for a terminal knot. Should she switch?
The nail polish has always been an easy and dependable method. We
have restrung pearls and beads she has done previously, but only
after a normal wearing (a few years) time period. She just now said
"the knot has never come undone"! She won’t post a word on the list.
I don’t’ mind. Twenty-one years next September!
“I use Fray Check for my knots in beading, and it does indeed absorb
into the knot, and is flexible, but my beef with it is that its
applicator is less than precision and it does get all over the
beads.”
This is just a thought (I haven’t tried this myself) – could you
transfer the liquid into one of those liquid flux bottles with the
long thin metal applicator needles? Then you might be able to apply
it more like the crystal cement (i.e., with pinpoint accuracy). If
anyone tries this, please let us know if it works.
This question has been floating around in my mind for a few months
and now is the time to act [ask].
There was a recent suggestion to add cyanoacrylate adhesive, (super
glue) to the knot of pearls. I have seen on numerous occasions that
this glue is too stiff for the situation. It actually causes the cord
to weaken sooner because of stress and lack of flexibility. The
adhesive to use is "Jeweler's Cement" or "Crystal Cement" that
watchmakers used to hold watch crystals in place. It comes in a small
tube with a needle tip applicator. I have seen it for purchase in many
places that carry beading supplies. It can be obtained through Rio
Grande.
That being said, on to my situaion: I have used the jewelers cement
for stringing pearls but find that the viscosity plus the heat from my
hand causes more glue to be applied than I am comfortable with. In the
process of working those three knots I feel like an octapus with not
enough arms. I am holding the strand, trying to keep the tension on
the cord, trying to make the perfect tight knot, taking the cap from
the glue tube, fighting the fact that the adhesive is oozing out of
the tube, wiping away the excess glue from the applicator BEFORE
application to the knot, wiping the excess glue from the pearls AFTER
application to the knot, the repeating the operations 2 more times.
WHEW!! There must be an easier way.
Has anyone tried or does anyone know if the solution that is used to
stop cloth from fraying can be used for beading knots? I have a bottle
of Fray Check from the Dritz Corporation that I used in the past to
keep the cut edge of satin from fraying. It certainly did that. The
instructions say that if too much is applied then use rubbing alcohol
to remove excess. It also mentions that it is flamable. On the surface
it sounds like a less viscous version of the Jewelers Cement. My
thoughts are to completely knot the pearls then later apply the Fray
Check and let it absorb into the knots rather than sit on top like the
Jelers Cement appears to. The finished produ ct should appear more
professional.
Am anxious to hear if anyone has already fought this particular
dragon.
Orchid Rules!.........Karla from So Calif where we are having summer
temperatures in mid winter
Karla,
Try Hypo-cement. It comes in a tube with a needle applicator and is
hard to mess up. One Question: Why do you use the cement BEFORE you
knot? It should be enough to use it after you have completed the
knot. You are trying to be a Houdini!
Suzanne
Tim, you are correct, clear nail polish is the best, there are no
lost pearls and if you need to clean acetone works great. As far as
wear and tear goes we have manufactured pearl jewelry for more years
than I would like to fess up to and have had very little problems. I
also taught pearl knotting for around 18 years and that was my method
of finish. French wire is nice in some pieces and much easier to
repair if you use nail polish.