Little advice on finished jigsaw piece.

[Animalnutty]

Hi,

Need a little help please - I made this jigsaw piece for my partner for Christmas. It was all finished up apart from engraving. Unfortunately that has messed it up. There are not grooves and marks all over it. The one along the outer edge I am sure I can just file and polish slightly and hopefully it won't make it out of line (though is not going to be perfect) however I don't really know how to deal with the rest. There are some scratches and finger marks that have gone and orangey colour on both the matte and the polished area that won't just come off with a polish cloth, it's almost looks a little like fire stain, like properly in the metal!?

Also they obviously clamped too hard and have put a groove not only in the outer edge but in the two matte pieces of the jigsaw, one of them you can see really clearly in the picture at the top of it and the other one is on the opposite side exactly the same. They are quite raised. Normally I would use paper and sand down and start again but with the engraving already done it will spoil it. I had polished it and then used a brass brush over the top so if I just sand in that area and use a brass brush I am assuming I will get quite a different effect?

Also the same on the polished areas, if I go over the again with the polishing mop then I will take away the engraving, so not sure what to do. Does anyone have any suggestions, please?

Apart from being upset that it is spoiled, it cost £45 in silver and engraving. My fault for not checking it properly when I picked it up, but would like to fix it if I can.

Excuse the dark photo, been very gloomy here the last few days.

Thanks for any help.

Karen

[china]

You could go for a different finish and use a suggestion from Dennis go over it with a sponge type sanding block this would give it a brushed look also would hopefully disguise the damage without removing the Engraving,
find a new person to do your engraving

[Dennis]

What a sad story, but as Bob says above, decorators sanding blocks (From paint shops and ironmongers) are thick, hard and flat, so used lightly (entirely in one direction) won't get into the engraving but will eradicate damage and hide firescale. Dennis.

[Animalnutty]

Thank you both for the replies and advice. It's quite a lip on the bottom piece and fairly light engraving so worried that if I go over the whole thing that I might lose the engraving, but I guess that is the only option or is going to be all patchy.

Sorry I wasn't clear, it definitely isn't fire scale, I didn't apply any heat. It just looks a little like it where they have been handling it with orangey stained fingerprints that won't wipe off with a polishing cloth. I'm guessing they must have had something on their hands just not sure what that would stain. Do you think it would be OK to go over with the polishing mop on the polished pieces or any compound I use easily take out the engraving, which like I say is quite light? Karen

[china]

MMM! really hard to know almost a try it and see what happens scenario, really makes me mad when I put in a lot of work and some one else wrecks especially when you pay them to do it properly.
I don't suppose polishing it off and having it re-engraved is an option.

[Animalnutty]

Thanks, I hadn't thought of polishing it all out, would take some doing I think but possible. Don't think I would be able to get it done before Christmas though with re-engraving. Not sure whether to give it to him as is and then rework it in case it goes a bit wrong (the picture is macro so really emphasising all the issues). Just not really happy to give as is. I might do as you suggest and try it with the light polishing option so at least hopefully looks a little better, only way I guess. Yes, it is really annoying, as was pleased with it -just a simple piece but meaningful and something that looked nice.

[Dennis]

If you want to go the polishing route Karen, I would suggest Micro Mesh sheets flat on the bench. Then turn the pieces over and rub each one on it'
Using the grades in turn (say2400, 3600, 6000,) You can stop when you have the finish you want. Again I prefer to go in one direction only
If your finger nails can't grip the flat pieces, a piece of BluTack on the back will form a handle. Dennis.

[Animalnutty]

Thank you Dennis. Sorry for delay in reply, for some reason haven't been able to post. I've never used Micro Mesh before, does that give you a mirror finish too? Karen

[Ollie B]

You could use a Scotchbrite wheel or even sandblast the piece.
If not cooksons do a
Abrasive Rubber Block, Fine Brown, Grit 240, Garry flex which could help also.
Hope this helps.

[Dennis]

Thank you Dennis. Sorry for delay in reply, for some reason haven't been able to post. I've never used Micro Mesh before, does that give you a mirror finish too? Karen

Yes you'll be blinded. Use the sheets (not the pads) lay them flat and move the pieces, going up the grades. Dennis.

[Animalnutty]

Thanks Dennis, will order some and give it a go.

Thanks for the ideas Ollie, I quite like the effect of a Scotch bright wheel, though not what I wanted, but worried it would still potentially get into the engraving. Will have a look at the others. Thank you.

Karen

[josef1]

maybe you could put a polished bevel around each jigsaw part

[ps_bond]

Or just use a burnisher to create it?

[josef1]

Yes that ^^^^^^^

[Animalnutty]

Thanks for the other ideas. Not something I have done before so would be reluctant to give it a go on this piece. However am assuming I would still need to find a way to finish it afterwards as the burnisher would leave it looking different/leave marks, given that it is a matte finish on the most marked pieces?