Jewellery Making Supplies Blog

This December has seen the launch of the Cooksongold  Deal of the Day event! Each day throughout the month during the build-up to Christmas Day Cooksongold will bring you a NEW fantastic daily offer. These offers will not only feature great savings on individually selected best selling products of up to 35%, but will also feature great savings on entire selected product categories up to 25% OFF, so make sure you stay in the know and visit www.cooksongold.com to be sure you don’t miss out! 

Cooksongold's Deal of the Day

If you missed Monday’s official Deal of the Day launch e-mail then click here to find out what fantastic offers we have in stall for you over these first 5 days. If you don’t already receive our weekly e-mails detailing all our daily offers, then click here to sign-up right away! Also, why not claim your FREE Christmas is Here mini catalogue packed with new products, perfect presents and stocking fillers!

FREE Mini Catalogue

Make sure you stay especially vigilant at the weekends as we will be hosting some suprise offers to make your Christmas online shopping that bit easier! Why not check out our first 5 days worth of daily deals below, but remember you’ll need to keep checking back to find out whats coming up for the remaining days before Christmas.

Fantastic Daily Offers

Monday 30th November  – 10-15% OFF Hobby Drill Kits
Tuesday 1st December – 15% OFF Starter Tool Kit
Wednesday 2nd December – 10% OFF ALL Gems
Thursday 3rd December – 10% OFF Art Clay & 5% OFF PMC
Friday 4th December – 35% OFF Starter Bench Pack
Saturday 5th – Christmas day – Remember, the offers just keep getting better in the build-up to the Big Day!
(Please notes these displayed offers will expire 04/12/2009)

In the meantime, why not check out our fantastic festive themed web pages full of incredible gift ideas including jewellery, kits, tools, clay, packaging and more…

Workshop Treats
Christmas Kits
Stocking Fillers Under a Tenner
Gifts Under £20
Top 10 Presents
Say it with Silver
Midas Touch
Finished Jewellery
Perfect Packaging
Creative Christmas
Christmas Reads
Tis the Season to be Red
They’ll be Green with Envy

Cooksongold is offering FREEPOST on all orders over £50 for the remainder of September! Simply enter e-voucher code ACP29 as you check out to claim freepost* Also don’t forget, this e-voucher code is multi-use, so you can use it as many times as you like as well as forwarding it to your friends.

FREEPOST is valid between Mon 21st – Wed 30th September! Don’t miss out, place your order online NOW! To help you reach that £50 limit here are a few suggestions on this weeks e-mail including our freepost favourite jewellery tools, jewellery making kits and machinery to maximise those P & P savings!

FREEPOST on ALL UK Orders Over £50

As well as the great savings available from our FREEPOST event, why not order yourself a copy of our latest ‘Student’ mini catalogue. This month’s catalogue features savings of up to 50% OFF selected best selling sterling silver findings, up to 25% OFF selected jewellery tools and up to 15% OFF our must-have kits. We also have a host of our rolling mills on special offer including our 80mm Durston Rolling Mills now ONLY £329.99! Why not take a look at this new catalogue in a convenient electronic flick book format.

Click here to share your thoughts on this post or ask the Cooksongold team a question

CONGRATULATIONS to Miss Tully from East Sussex who has just won our ‘Register & Win’ competition to win a rolling mill. Miss Tully was “delighted” to be informed of her stroke of luck and is very much looking forward to using her new rolling mill. Miss Tully was automatically entered into the competition by simply registering an account online which only takes a matter of seconds.

Thanks to everyone who took part, and keep your eyes peeled as there is another big competition in the horizon. Also, to further increase your chances of winning one of Cooksongold’s fantastic competition prizes sign-up today to receive our weekly e-mails including our top offers and promotions, great savings, new products and freepost events as well as those latest competitions!!!

Check out here what our extremely jealous forum members had to say on the news that Miss Tully had won our latest competition prize… Also, if your not already a forum member then what are you waiting for, register today and join over 400 jewellery professionals and enthusiasts online now for the latest industry news, information, hints and tips as well as the opportunity to make lots of new jewellery contacts as well as the chance to seek and share ideas and inspiration for your new pieces. If that wasn’t already enough, Cooksongold.com are giving away 20 mystery prizes to new forum members for simply posting comments on our NEW Jewellery Making forum, it’s as easy as that!

We’d thought we’d look at some of the essential techniques, tools & processes used when filing precious metals – gold, silver & platinum.

Filing is an essential technique in jewellery making, and although simple in concept following proven practices combined with the right equipment and tools, ensures the job becomes a breeze.

Filing precious metals
Filing is used in jewellery making to remove excess metal, even out surfaces, smooth or to shape, form and texture pieces.

The actual files come in a variety of shapes, grades/cuts and sizes. The shape of the file you choose will depend on the job you are completing i.e. flat files are used for straight edges or convex curves e.g. the outer edge of a disc, and curved files are used on concave curves – e.g. inside of rings.

The cut describes the arrangement of teeth and therefore the amount of material the file will remove and the surface finish it will leave. The most often used, and useful file is a medium cut 2 file, (cut 0 = course, Cut 4 = fine) this general purpose file removes material quickly, and leaves only light markings which can be easily removed. 

Common types of file types
In terms of types of file, both needle and hand files are the most commonly used in jewellers workshops.  The common shapes of file are Flat files – a general use file for use on flat surfaces and outside curves, Square files for use in grooves or inside angles, Three square files for tight angles and difficult to reach areas, Round files for inside curves, Half round files for inside curves, Knife files for limited access corners, Crossing files for inside curves, Safety back files ideal for tight angles as serrated edge are only on one side.

Hand files - Range of over 150 available

Fitting a file handle
Needle files have an integral handle; however hand files often require a handle to be fitted. To fit your handle place the file in a vise with the ‘tang’ (where the handle is fitted) pointed upwards, then heat the tang until red hot ensuring you direct the flame upwards. Push the file handle onto the hot tang allowing the it burn into the handle. Then tap the handle with a mallet until the handle is secure.

Filing techniques for a straight line
When filing ensure that the metal is secured, as an unstable bench peg/metal will lead to inaccuracies and mistakes.  When filing a straight line use long strokes, applying pressure on the forward stroke. Make sure that the file is level and that you watch the metal to ensure accuracy plus allowing the jeweller to continually assess the pressure/placement of your next stroke. When filing you should work at a steady pace, as an aggressive technique increases the chance of inaccuracy. Many jewellers mark there metal as a guideline to measure progress and to see where they need to file.

Filing techniques for curves (convex)
With a flat faced file place the file on the metal and push forward using a sweeping action that follows the curve, ensuring the file is level. Use marks to guide the filing process, and check the surface whilst filing.

Files – an essential jewellery tool
Skilled filing is a key technique that once mastered gives the jeweller great control over shaping metal and forming designs. However initially it takes practice, concentration plus a level of intuition to ensure accurate lines or curves are achieved.  A complete jewellery tool kit will include a full selection of files – both needle and hand, of all shapes and sizes and cuts, and become some of the most used tools at the bench.

Cooksongold is offering FREE delivery on all orders over £60 this weekend! Simply enter E-Voucher code ACP33 as you check out to claim freepost*

FREEPOST is valid between Friday 26 June – Sunday 28 June, ends Midnight! Don’t miss out, place your order online NOW!

Click here to claim FREEPOST now

If you’d like to make a comment about this article, or post a question please click here

Forming metal is an essential part of jewellery making, and as a process the level of skill involved is often overlooked.  Forming refers to any process that maneuvers metal into the desired shape or design. Unlike many other skills in jewellery making forming is more a combination of a range of techniques that change an objects shape, rather than one particular process. 

Under the heading of forming are processes such as bending, chasing, repousse, sinking, hammering, using stamps/dies and forging.  These processes will affect the pieces shape, thickness and often the texture of the metal being worked on.

Forming Tools
The range of forming tools available is as wide and varied as the different processes contained within the skill.  The key forming tools available are:

Mallets
The simple mallet allows the craftsman to apply direct force without stretching or damaging the metal.  The head of the mallet is softer that the metal so not to mark the surface.

Mandrels or Triblets
Mandrels or Triblets are used for forming shapes, and are most associated with rings or bangles.  Mandrels are available in a variety size and shapes, and in both steel & wood.

Hammers
Hammers can complete a variety of jobs from stretching the metal, polish/smoothing or adding texture. Jobbing hammers are ideal for general use and metal forming. The planishing hammer is used for smoothing, shaping and polishing metal.  Riveting hammers are designed with a small head for detailed rivet work. Raising, bossing and chasing hammers are used in the different stages of forming.

Doming Blocks & Punches
Doming blocks & punches are the ideal way of shaping metal and making domed, shaped pieces or hollow beads. Pieces of circular metal/discs are place over the hollows of a doming block, and then using punches and a hammer the metal is formed into a shape. 

Steel Blocks
Steel blocks provide the ideal flat surface for working, flattening sheet or wire or to support work as it is raised or forged, riveted or textured.

Swage Blocks
Rather like doming blocks, Swage blocks help form metal into tubes, curves and channels.  Different blocks will allow different shapes and sizes to be formed.

Sandbag / Grit filled Cushion
These bags provided support whilst you work and form your piece. They help keep your work firm and in place whilst working.

Pliers
Pliers have a multitude of uses but they are the most basic tool for holding/gripping, forming and shaping wire.  Having a basic selection of needle nose, round nose, flat nose, half round and a pair of parallel action pliers, will give the jeweller the flexibility to complete most jobs.

Stakes
Often used by silversmiths, the metal is placed over the stakes (usually clamped independently into a vice) and hammered to achieve the shape required. Various shapes can be achieved by using different stakes.

Files
Files are essential for removing excess material, and fine tuning and shaping your piece.  The different sizes available allow the jeweller to work large areas or at a more intricate level. To start with buy a selection of shapes containing round, square, triangular, half round and warding.  Plus consider the cut ranging from 0 the coarsest, to 6 the finest.

Draw plates
Draw plates are most commonly used to reduce the size or change shape of wire. Each plate has a series of holes through which the wire is passed through, this then changes the size of the wire. The holes in the plate are of decreasing size allowing you to continue draw down the wire to the required size.

Rolling mills
These larger machines often seen in jewellers’ workshops are ideal to reduce the thickness of sheet, or help decorate sheet. If used with Square and D shape sections rolling mills can be used to form or shape wire. 

This selection of forming tools & equipment allow jewellers, and metalsmiths to create any number of shapes, textures and patterns.  As with all jewellery projects the range of forming tools jewellers have will start with the basic i.e. pliers, hammer and perhaps a doming set, and then expand as their projects demand.

Forming Tools

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A COMMENT, POST A COMMUNAL QUESTION OR ASK THE COOKSON TEAM A QUESTION

This weekend only Cooksongold.com are offering an incredible 50% off starter bench packs. The bench pack contains 11 quality jewellery tools at an amazing price of ONLY £23.08 this weekend only - WHILE STOCKS LAST!

50% OFF Bench Packs