Hand stamping

[Neve]

Hello everyone! Please could somebody give me a bit of advice? I have made a sterling silver heart with 1.5mm sheet, drilled a hole and hung it on a chunky jump ring and soldered the jump ring so that its safe and sound. I tumbled it for a few hours, so that it was nice and shiny. I would now like to hand stamp some initials on the back. The thing is, when I stamp it, there will be some displacement, so how do I get that lovely surface back? I have textured a piece before, so that the displacement is hidden with the hammering, but to get it back to a high shine, do I have to use a dremel with rouge? or can it be removed by tumbling? Will the jump ring get in the way if I use a dremel? Maybe I need to remove the jump ring? This is where I realise that I'm rambling!

[Joe]

I would reach for the micromesh (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220699624248)- might not even need tumbling afterwards.

[mizgeorge]

You're right, you should really have done the stamping before polishing and finishing, but it won't cause a problem. Put your piece on your bench block so the jump ring hangs over the edge - it won't cause any problem unless you want to stamp close to the hole. If that's the case you really will have to remove the ring and resolder it later.

With 1.5mm sheet, you should get very little showing through to the other side, but if you do, just polish it back. I generally do this by hand with micromesh cloth as I find it easier to 'feel' any bumps this way, but you can work through the grades with wet and dry/emery paper or sticks just as easily. Then replace the ring if necessary and pop it back in the tumbler. If you don't want to use liver of sulphur or platinol to kick the stamping out, you can just run a fine tipped sharpie marker into the recesses and then rub back with a polishing cloth - it will last surprisingly well, and by the time it does wear off, the piece will have aged naturally anyway.

[caroleallen]

That's good advice George; I never thought of using a Sharpie. It would save all the mess you get with Platinol.

[Neve]

Thank you very much George! Great advice. Is micromesh the same as wet and dry sandpaper? It sounds like its a cloth, which is brilliant, where do you get them?

[mizgeorge]

This is the stuff you want Neve

MICRO MESH / MICROMESH POLISHING KIT 9 SHEETS 6" X 4" on eBay (end time 22-Nov-10 21:21:00 GMT) (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MICRO-MESH-MICROMESH-POLISHING-KIT-9-SHEETS-6-X-4-/170569658626?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item27b6be7102#ht_629wt_1139)

The seller only lists a few at a time - so it's sometimes worth contacting him to see if he's got some available between listings.

[Neve]

Ordered!!! Thanks so much. Is your polishing cloth, just a standard silver polishing cloth?

[mizgeorge]

Yes :) I like the 'sunshine' brand, and hate the blue ones that make your fingers feel all funny.

[Kwant]

Lol george you should be on commission, I ordered some too :0)

[Neve]

I'm so happy! Got my micromesh - WHAT A FABULOUS FINISH!!! Thank you so so much x

[Kwant]

Me too thanks for the info, my micro mesh arrived day before yesterday and I just spent a few minutes in front of the fire with a piece, effortless fine finish and for a lazy boy like me that is something :0)

[allyclaret]

Snap - love Micromesh... thanks for the recommendation :)

[my ME]

Hi! Just got some micromesh after reading this thread! Now..... how do I use it? New to jewellery making and have bought it to polish / finish my pieces. Thank you!

[Kwant]

If you have not used it before I would suggest you try it on a piece of scrap to see the effect of the various grades. Essentially you use it like sandpaper, working down from the coarser grades to the fine grades. The coarse grades will remove heavier scratches and marks but will leave their own distinctive marks, as you work down the grades the marks become finer and finer till you get to the very fine grades which leave a lovely silky smooth finish.

[my ME]

Thank you very much! I am such a novice but I end up getting so enthusiastic and buy anything that sounds like it will make life easier but then am not 100% sure what to do with it!