Jewellery Making Supplies Blog

On Wednesday jewellery Amy Logan hosted a live Q&A on our Facebook page. We had some many great questions that we thought we would post an article so that these great tips aren’t lost in the depths of our timeline. Thank you once again to everyone who took part, it was so great to chat to you all!

Question: I’m having a little bit of trouble deciding with which thickness of saw blades I should be using. Do you have any advice or tips I could you?

Answer: My favourite saw blade grade is 3/0 as I like to use a thin grade. Most tutors will advise that you use a 2/0 as it is right in the middle and good for most thicknesses. One tip you can use is that three teeth of the blade should cover the thickness of the metal you are using.

Question: Can you tell me if the eco silver from Cooksongold can be sold and stamped as .925 sterling silver and what are there any advantages and disadvantages of using it?

Answer: Eco silver is the same alloy make up as standard .925 but the great thing about it is that it’s 100% recycled. This means that for customers concerned about the environment there is a fab ‘greener’ solution for them. You will find that working with Ecosilver is exactly the same so you won’t need to change your making process.

Question: I need to do some very delicate soldering, is there anything I can buy to help me keep the flame very same and thin? I keep making mistakes with a regular torch.

Answer: For delicate items I actually love to use a hand torch – they are not very powerful which will work to your advantage with thin silver. Have you also tried rolling down your solder? If you make it super thin it melts much quicker meaning you don’t need to heat the piece for as long, this reduces the risk of melting and the chance of any fire stain.

Question: Do you have any tips for working with/soldering brass? Someone told me the fumes are toxic but I can’t find any information regarding that online! Also what is the best way to pickle it?

 Answer: It is most probably the flux often used to solder Brass that they are referring to -generally these can be quite toxic. I would recommend that you use the Borax as this is basically a mineral ground up and compressed into a cone. I would still say you should be working a well ventilated area but it is definitely much safer. Then I would go for the Picklean Safety Pickle as it is a food grade material and also much safer than other pickle powders. Ideally needs to be warm – if you can’t splash out on a pickle unit I would suggest a bain-marie type set up to help with a more constant temperature.

Question: I’ve been working with silver plated copper wire and have just started with sterling silver. I’m finding it very soft, is there anything I can do to strengthen it? And is there a breaking point with sterling silver wire and if so, how will I know when I’m near it?

Answer: There is a breaking point at which you can crack silver when you have work hardened it. Here’s an example: if you are raising a bowl, the metal gets harder the more it is hammered, this is because the silver is being squashed as its being stretched. You will be able to tell from the feel and the ‘spring’ in the silver – if you are unsure its best to anneal before continuing so you don’t damage the silver. Hammering is the simplest way to harden silver. If you are using wire – for example you have just soldered on earring pins you will find the wire is quite pliable. One of the best ways I find is to place the item in a barrelling machine and tumble it for a couple of hours – it will come out shiny and with a nice springy back to the earring.

Question: I have just started out and no idea what grade wet and dry to start with. Don’t really want to order one of each, can you help?

Answer: For best results it is good practice to go through each grade – however, you can skip a few. So depending on the scratches you are trying to remove you may not need a very coarse paper one to start as you will actually be putting in more scratches than you are removing. A good grade to start with for deeply scratched metal is 240 for lighter scratches I tend to start at around 400.

Yesterday our in house silversmith Laura Golbourne hosted a live Q&A on our Facebook page. We had some many great questions that we thought we would post an article so that these great tips aren’t lost in the depths of our timeline. Thank you once again to everyone who took part, it was so great to chat to you all!

Question: I’m having trouble with how much silver sheet to buy for a bangle, how do I go about sizes?

Answer: Depending on what you are doing I would suggest a thickness of 0.9mm to 1mm for a standard bangle and then you need to decide on how wide to go. Think about if you would like a really chunky piece or something more slender. As for the length I would close your hand as tightly as possible and measure the distance across as this will give you the diameter you need. Standard bangles are generally 8cm in diameter so you would need to times this by PI (3.14) to get the circumference and therefore length needed which in this case would be about 25 cm.

Question: I would like to make a bowl, but how do I get it so that it is 8cm in diameter and about 5cms high…?

Answer:  To get the size disc you will need to add the height and the diameter together. In this case you will want a 13cm disc to start and make a template of the cross section you wish to work to as your raising it up.

Question: Sometimes when I solder fine silver wire (the wire is usually rolled into a loose mesh) to sterling silver sheet using solder paste the fine silver gets a yellow stain. Any idea what this is and how I can avoid it?

Answer: This sounds like tarnish staining. Have you left the piece in the pickle long enough to take off all the oxide? If this is not the case you might need to get a fine tool to get in there and clean the surface off.

Question: I need to know how hot to keep my pickle solution. After using the pickle the jump rings are coming out as if they are stripped, does this suggest that my jump rings aren’t sterling silver after all?

Answer: I usually keep my solution at about 40 – 50 degrees temp so that my pieces will clean quickly. If the solution is stripping the items this might suggest that the solution is too hot and also too strong. How do the pieces look when they come out? If they are still silver if so this would suggest they are sterling, if not they may be plated!

Question: I am going through the process of registering a hallmark, I am hoping to use the marks initially as a focal point of my designs, mainly on the outer side of rings (between 3 and 6mm in width) – size J was my thought – any advice? Also I’m wondering which assay office to register with? Any guidance would be great!

Answer: If there is an assay office within walking/driving distance to you I would register there, this way if you’re in a hurry for your things you won’t have to always wait for posting. Some people like the leopard mark that the London assay office use but I’m with Birmingham as this is where I’m based which is the anchor. I think size J sounds perfect for the size of rings you are making!

Question: I’m trying to make a bracelet with small pieces of wire, through a pearl and looped at each end of the wire (rosary style). The wire can only be 0.5 mm but this seems too soft. Can you suggest the best kind of silver wire to use?

Answer: If you’re finding it a bit too soft I would recommend our hard or half-hard wire.

Question: I struggle with my display pieces tarnishing really fast, the atmosphere is very moist and salty where I live, I have used anti tarnish pads etc, but is there anything else I can do to slow it down or anything I can use on my pieces?

Answer: We have just introduced a new range of products called town talk. When I’m at a show I always take along a anti-tarnish impregnated cloth and my silver dip. This will help to keep the pieces nice and shiny whilst at the show. You will need to wash off the silver dip so this might be best done the night before the show and have the cloth with you to help brighten up during the day.

Question: I am trying to make a bezel setting for a cabochon but can’t get the silver bezel soldered onto the back plate. It is a medium size cabochon (~30mm X 25mm), I am using easy solder and plenty of flux on the back plate. I only have hand torches to work with – I am trying the impossible?

Answer: It is a little tricky sometimes with slightly larger items to get your hand torch to do the job easily however; I think this should be able to work. Make sure that all your surfaces and solder are nice and clean as well as fluxed. You will probably need to get the piece as hot as possible all over and then focus the flame in one place. Once you have one piece flowing you will find by moving the flame a little it should be hot enough for the next one and so on.

Make sure you tune in on Facebook next Wednesday between 1-2pm for our next live Q&A session!

Pebeo is a range of French ‘Effect Colour’ paints which can be used in conjunction with Gedeo Glazing Resin to create interesting and unique finishes on a variety of materials. This was my first encounter with these products and I have to say I was quite impressed with the finish that could be achieved in a relatively short period of time.

To make the bracelet above you will need:

• 1 x Pebeo Bracelet Blank
• 1 x Pebeo Fantasy Prisme Discovery Set
• 1 x Gedeo Glazing Resin
• Pebeo small elite mixing palette
• Cocktail sticks (or something similar for mixing)
• Pipettes
• Pebeo universal paint remover

1. Before getting started, you will need to prepare your work area.  You need a flat surface with a protective covering (preferably non-porous) and good ventilation.
2. Gather together all your materials and choose your colours. The Pebeo Fantasy Prisme Discovery Set is a great place to start as it contains 6 colours including neutrals and brights so it’s ideal for experimenting with different effects. I went for a monochrome look by using the Onyx with the Eggshell White.
3. Lay out the bracelet blank ensuring it is completely flat.
4. Mix your colours thoroughly. (This will take some time but is essential for a good result). The desired finish with the Fantasy Prisme range is an abstract segmentation rather like a series of squashed bubbles which appear as the paints dry. If your paints are not mixed thoroughly this effect will not appear and you will simply get a flat colour finish.

   This picture shows The Fantasy Prisme in the top section and a combination of The Fantasy Moon and Fantasy Prisme in the bottom section.

5. How you transfer the Pebeo to the bracelet is personal preference and it really depends on the finish you are trying to achieve. You can use a pipette, a brush, a cocktail stick or simply pour it in. The key to success is control and I found dripping the paint from the end of a cocktail stick worked very well. These paints are actually far more fluid than I expected them to be and initially I had a few problems when trying to combine two colours. As soon as the paint is applied it will start to spread. If you want to add another colour to create a contrast, you need to do this quickly. If you allow the first colour to cover the surface completely and then add the second colour, one tends to be absorbed into the other which doesn’t look so good.

   This picture shows how The Fantasy Moon and Fantasy Prisme have amalgamated losing both effects.

6. Once the paints have dried (allow 24hours), you will notice that the surface will have dipped into a concave curve. This is entirely normal, and this is where the Gedeo glazing resin comes in.

   Fantasy Prisme full effect in Eggshell White and Onyx.

7. Gedeo glazing resin is a 2 part resin compound which, when mixed forms a rounded, clear layer, that gives the Pebeo that professional glazed finish. (Well that’s the idea!)

   The Gedeo glazing resin.

   Again you need to make sure your work area is well ventilated as this is strong stuff! Mix together the resin as instructed (one part hardener to two parts resin) using the mixer provided in the pack. The instructions say mix thoroughly but not vigorously which is easier said than done. In order for the resin to harden, the two component parts must be completely mixed but to achieve this requires a certain degree of force which unfortunately results in air bubbles. Once the air bubbles are in the mixture they are very difficult to remove so heed my warning and mix slowly and steadily.

8. Once mixed, apply the mixture onto the painted surface. I used the mixing stick to drip the resin in to allow more control, but you can pour it in if you feel confident. It is thicker than the Pebeo paint and is much easier to control. It doesn’t spread too quickly and can be teased into the corners and edges until the required effect is achieved. You then need to allow another 24hours, preferably in a dust free environment, for your piece to dry completely and then voila – it’s finished!

The Finished Piece!

Once the resin is applied the colours do dull down a little which is a shame, but the domed finish is rather nice (despite the air bubbles in my case).

Like any craft, Pebeo and Gedeo are a little tricky to perfect, but once mastered the possibilities are endless. (Especially when you consider the range of materials these paints can be used on:  Wood, paper, glass and ceramics to name but a few). My advice would be to practise, practise, practise and be patient as it takes time for the full effect to work, but all in all, well worth the effort for a unique finish.

A fantastic product review by guest blogger Gillian Salisbury

I was very excited when I was given the opportunity to try out Crystal Clay. A relatively new crafting/jewellery making product which Cooksongold have recently started to supply. It appears to be quite big in the States and I can see it repeating that status here in Britain too. The product is quick, easy to use and it was really fun to work with it.

I was delighted to receive a little parcel in the post and on opening it found 3 pendantsof various shapes and sizes, 3 different types of rings, 2 bracelets and 4 different coloured clays with a huge assortment of round crystals or “chatons” to play with.

Rather than buying this in kit form, where the colours and styles are created for you, all parts are sold separately giving you the opportunity to combine the colour of your crystals with any colour clay and to set them into any blank you can get your hands on. The design opportunities are endless.

This stuff is AMAZINGLY easy to work with. It’s a 2 part clay, like epoxy resin. The two parts are 1 part richly coloured clay and 1 part epoxy, equal parts of which have to be combined and kneaded together before being pressed into your favourite setting before placing the crystals into the clay in a pattern of your choice.

I thought when I first started mixing the two parts together that the colour of the clay would be diluted by the epoxy but it isn’t in the slightest. The purple stays deep purple and the black remains deepest black. It’s incredible!

Getting started at my first attempt with the crystal clay I was careful to read the instructions properly and followed them throughout, but as I said earlier, this product is so easy to work with that there wasn’t a whole lot to follow. There are really only two very important factors to take into consideration; one is to wear the gloves provided with the clay as the epoxy resin can cause irritation to some people. I value my hands too much to ignore this instruction and wore the gloves throughout the whole process. And the second is to mix the parts in equal quantities otherwise the finished clay will not set properly.

Top Tip:

At this point I’ll share a little tip regarding the gloves. The ones provided in the kit are for average ladies hands but being a tall lady myself my hands are on the large size. This made the gloves a little snug but this actually worked to my advantage as it made the clay easier to work with. There were no creases for the clay to slip under and no creases to leave impressions in the clay surface when working. I’d advise buying your own disposable vinyl gloves from the supermarket in a size smaller than your usual if you have any problems with the pair supplied with the clay.

Anyhow….The two parts of the clay are VERY sticky to work with and equally sticky when combined together. I tried kneading them on the top of my clean worktop but after seeing how well it stuck to the surface I soon decided to scrape it up from there quickly and then kept it in my gloved hands, kneading it continuously with the thumb of one hand into the palm of the other. (It will stick to the gloves a little but not as frighteningly as it sticks to the worktop!) I did this for a couple of minutes until both parts were thoroughly mixed together and then rolled it into a ball ready to place into the chosen setting.

First Attempt

I chose a simple flat square silver tone pendant and pressed my ball of jet black clay into it. I guess the hardest part of using this product is in gauging just how much of the two parts of clay are needed to completely fill the blank without having too much. More could be mixed to combine with the original if you didn’t have enough and surplus could be pinched out of the setting before smoothing the surface of the clay again but I can’t help feeling it’s better to gauge it right in the first place. It saves time AND money.

Once the clay was placed in the setting it was a simple matter of smoothing the clay down and into the corners and edges of the piece. You can use fingers for this or modelling tools. Having previously jumped into the silver clay experience I was lucky enough to have some good modelling tools to hand, but really, anything can be used. Cocktail sticks, lolly sticks, ballpoint pens, etc etc. You get the picture.

Once I was satisfied that the surface of the clay was smooth and that all the corners of the setting had been filled I could set about the deliciously satisfying art of setting the crystals. The clay comes supplied with a little blob of beeswax attached to the tip of a toothpick and this is used to gently pick up a crystal and place it onto the clay. The beeswax holds the crystal so well that sometimes they don’t want to be separated but by rolling the toothpick across the top of the crystal the clay will hold the stone in place. Then it’s a simple matter of using the un-waxed end of the toothpick to press the crystal down into the clay.

It’s best to push the stone down so that its broadest part is flush with the clay. I found out the hard way that if the stone sits above the surface of the clay it will catch on your clothing later and come out with a ping! However don’t press it in below the surface of the clay or the stone’s light-catching abilities will be reduced and that would be a great shame as these little beauties can REALLY sparkle.

The real art of this particular product is in the placing of the stones into the clay. I’ve seen pieces where anything goes regarding pattern and these can be very eye-catching but I’m not very confidant in my abilities to pull that off so placed the stones in a regular and symmetrical pattern. I became more adventurous with my second attempt and chose a heart shaped pendant which I filled to overflowing with gold clay for a nice big fat chunky pendant and placed the stones to make a flower with a decorative trim at the three corners of the heart.

I had heard that it was possible to make a marbled effect by combining two different colour clays so, being an adventurous “try anything once” kinda girl, I had to give that a go. Once I’d reached a comfortable level of skill with the clay I set about making purple and silver marble.

I rolled out some premixed purple clay and made a long thin sausage with it before doing the same with some premixed silver clay and then coiled them both loosely together and gently squished them. I had to be careful at this point as overworking the colours will blend them into one colour. The end result was the gentle mottling and irregular striping of natural marble. When it came to decorating this clay with the crystals I was torn between smothering it in crystals and risk hiding the marble effect or holding off on the stones and let the marbled clay be the main feature. I went for the latter option and then simply highlighted the patterning with crystals. This became a bracelet of 5 marbled cabochons with the odd flash of tanzanite and black diamonds.

I’m very sad to say that at this point of my Crystal Clay experience I ran out of blanks to fill but still had lots of clay and stones left over. It’s been a week or more since I was last able to set crystals into clay and I now find myself looking around the house for things to cover in clay and sparkle up. It doesn’t just have to be jewellery items. Fridge magnets? Mobile phone covers? I need to do more. Now…..where’s the cat?….he’s been looking rather dull of late…..

Most jewellery and silverware is polished to a shiny, bright finish. Despite the array of alternative finishes out there, the majority of us, like magpies, are drawn to shiny, bright objects. And unless you are making very niche, designer items, a fine mirror polish is what you will be striving to achieve with each piece.

As with many jewellery techniques, polishing really is a complete subject in its own right. There are a number of ways to produce a nice polish, and your technique of choice is really down to the style of work you produce, but also what your budget will stretch to.

Barrel Polishing:

This is the method I favour. I used to produce a range of twisted wire pieces interspersed with tiny flowers which had fine detail engraved into the petals with burrs. Barrel polishing was perfect for getting into all the little nooks and crannies. For those of you who have never used this technique, barrelling basically involves filling a rubber container with a soapy solution and some form of abrasive material, be it steel shot, ceramic cones or glass beads depending on the required finish. The container (barrel) is then sealed and placed on motorised rollers which rotate, turning the barrel over and over. After a couple of hours your work will be beautifully polished.

The beauty of barrelling is you can be doing something else whilst it’s working so it’s very cost effective.  It’s not suitable for large, plain surface areas as you will find the metal shot will leave small pitted marks all over it, but for any textured, three dimensional pieces it is ideal. (Steel shot will rust if left even the slightest bit damp. Either blow dry with a hairdryer after each use to ensure it is dry or keep your shot submerged in your soapy polishing solution at all times)

There are more sophisticated polishing systems available which are based on the barrelling technique e.g. Disc Polishers and Magnetic Polishers. Both of these incur considerable cost and are really aimed at the larger manufacturer.

Mop Polishing:

This is really the only way to achieve a mirror polish and it involves a good degree of skill and nerve! It is perfect for large silver items or anything which has flat surfaces.  A polishing motor has a spindle on either end which is driven round at high speed. Polishing mops are attached to these spindles. A skilled polisher will then manipulate the piece of work around the mop to buff the surface into a brilliant shine. As with all polishing, there are a number of stages to work through, but most people will use 2-3 different mops ranging from hard to soft as well as at least 2 different cutting/polishing compounds including coarse and finer grade. This type of hand polishing takes considerable skill and should not be undertaken without instruction.

Drill Polishing:

Many small polishing attachments are available which can be used in conjunction with either a pendant drill or a hobby drill (e.g. Dremel) It basically employs the same technique as mop polishing but on a much smaller scale. As you would imagine, it is suitable for small, intricate items with areas not accessible by any other means. This can be quite an inexpensive way of polishing if you are not able to invest in any of the more high tech equipment.

There are really no shortcuts when it comes to polishing. Each technique requires several stages of preparation which all take considerable time and effort.  It is however extremely rewarding and is worth taking your time over, as it is this final finishing which elevates items from simple pieces of metal into beautiful pieces of jewellery.

Step away from the Kilner jars and put down that beetroot!

Tempting though it is, we are not about to explore the fascinating subject of preserves and chutneys! No, in jewellery terms Pickling refers to an acid compound that is used to remove oxidised surfaces and flux from metal after soldering. So if you use heat and metal, it is essential that you set up a pickle pot.

Pickle is available in powder or liquid form and normally needs to be diluted with water. Most safety pickles have a base of sulphuric acid but nitric acid can also be used. It is also possible to use some household products such as white vinegar; you just need to work out what will work best for you. All of these options work in a similar way with varying degrees ferocity depending on the ratio of water to acid, but it is worth considering what you are happy to have in your home or workshop. Care must always be taken when using chemicals, but storage and disposal are equally as important especially if you have small children or pets.

How to set up a pickle pot:

1. Clean out a ceramic or glass pot and fill with clean water (if you know your water supply has a high level of minerals in it, it may be best to us distilled water).

2. Add your chosen acid to the water. Always read the label and use as instructed.

3. Always add acid to water and not the other way around.

4. Gently heat the solution to speed up the cleaning process, keeping a consistent heat (most jewellers use a hot plate or slow cooker). Do not allow the solution to boil.

5. Place your metal items into the pickle using either plastic or brass tweezers.Pickle is easily contaminated if certain metals come into contact, most noticeably iron. If this starts to occur, discard the solution and mix up a fresh batch.

Non-Toxic Solutions:

1.  Dissolve 1 tablespoon of alum with 60ml water.
2.  Combine water with distilled white vinegar and heat in a saucepan to simmering point. At this stage add salt. (approx. 1 part salt to 8 parts vinegar)

Precautions:

• Always store acidic compounds in a clearly marked container away from children and pets.
• When heating a pickle solution ensure the mixture doesn’t boil.
• Take fire precautions.
• Keep pickle away from skin and eyes.
• Dispose of used pickle correctly. (Neutralise with bicarbonate of soda first, but check local regulations first)

Once your jewellery has been cleaned sufficiently, remove from the pickle solution and rinse under running water. (I find pumice powder and a toothbrush extremely effective for removing any traces of residue and ensuring a really clean, bright surface)

Once pickling has been successfully completed you are then ready to start the polishing process…..

Annealing is the process of heating a metal before being worked on, through which this is softened and made pliable. This process will allow you to shape the metal into the jewellery piece you want. You might need to repeat the process in case your metal work-hardens.

When annealing your metal will turn into an obviously darkener colour follow by blackening, a chemical process known as oxidizing. The heating process has to be continued throughout oxidizing until it reaches a red colour. This is known as “quenching” the metal (cooling it) and the colour will last for a few moments until the metal relaxes.

It is not possible to predict the exact moment a metal needs annealing and you will only learn the difference between a soft and hard state through practice. There are however a few basic tips that can help you:

• Remove protective plastic before annealing. This can sometimes be kept when performing various piercing applications;
• Sheet: When buying sheet, always assume that it will need annealing;
• Wire: it will be easier to decide whether 1-mm round wire is soft, however less easy when working with a 5-mm wire therefore always anneal thicker wire;
• Note pure 999.9 silver and 24-carat gold do not oxidise as they are intrinsically soft. They will only need annealing if extensive work has been performed;
• Perform your annealing with a soft flame by gently pushing it up the length of the metal rather than waving it from side to side;
• Ensure your metal is completely dry after quenching. This is essential as you do not want to rust the tools you work with. Check that your tools have no marks as they can be passed on to your metal.

Annealing thin wire: wrap it into a coil and tuck both ends back into the coil. This will prevent it from springing apart when heated. Place your coil on a soldering block and heat it will a soft flame. Keep moving the torch up the metal to avoid melting the wire. Turn the metal with a pair of insulated tweezers and anneal the coil on the other side.

Annealing thick wire: unlike with thin wire, you will have to support your metal when heating it. Place the metal on the soldering block. Use a soft flame until it turns red then move along the wire to complete the process. Let the metal cool for a few seconds then quench in water. You can bend your wire to fit the pickle. Leave it until it has turned white. After removing it from the pickle, rinse and dry and you are ready to work!

Annealing  silver sheet

• Cover your silver with a protective non-oxidizing powder. Keep the powder away from your soldered joints to avoid making the solder run;
• Remove the plastic coating from your silver wire and rub dry paper over both sides of your silver to remove the silver shine;
• In a saucer, form a thick paste by mixing powder and methylated spirit or water. Add a little more spirit or water to make it easy to paint over both sides of your metal;
• Place silver on a soldering block and heat it with a large soft flame. Like with wire, use the torch on your sheet until it has turned red and then move along the surface to complete.
• After cooling the metal place it in warm pickle for 5-10 minutes. This will remove the protective powder.