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theresa
18-09-2012, 03:58 PM
Hi - can anyone suggest the best tool to use for cutting away a corner from a bezel? Most of my books suggest using gravers/scorpers/bullsticks but not the exact shape needed. I have set an uneven square Ocean Jasper cab with sloping sides but I can see it needs fine adjustment at the corners. I filed them down slightly but they really need cutting to make them tidy and I do not possess any of the afore mentioned tools.

Many thanks
Theresa

Dennis
18-09-2012, 04:57 PM
Hi Theresa, to deal with puckering your bezel does not need to be the same height all the way round. The corners can be partially cut through and filed to a curved V (like a flying gull) leaving the sides a scalloped shape. Dennis.

theresa
20-09-2012, 03:08 PM
Hi Dennis, I have attached a pic showing the stone. I have stopped setting it because I think I am going to remove it and start again by raising the stone slightly and tidying up the bezel before I put it back. I may also try your idea, haven't decided yet! (Do you think a bezel looks amateurish if it is uneven?)
Thank you
Theresa3859

Dennis
20-09-2012, 03:54 PM
What a beautiful stone. I don't see any indication of size, but presumably this is a ring, not a bracelet. I don't think there is any reason to abandon this bezel. It is a little taller than it need be and you will no doubt learn to save work by finishing the edges as perfectly as possible before inserting the stone.

The camera shows that there are many gaps which require closing and the corners are no worse than the sides. Also each time you push on your bezel, the metal becomes more resistant, so make each push count. It is best to rest the other side of the setting against a firm wooden wooden object such as your bench peg so that you can push really hard. You might even have to resort to tapping your setting tool with a hammer, but for a beginner this usually takes two operators, one to hold and one to tap.

For this reason I suggest beginners use 0.4 or 0.5 thickness strip cut from fine silver, which is much easier to manage.

Once the bezel is well adapted it is not difficult to file the edges level with a medium cut needle file of your choice, either a flat one or the flat side of another shape. However, the edges of files do mark stones, so you need to grind and polish one edge to make it suitable. The final finish and removal of setting marks is with small rubber wheels. Dennis.

Kwant
20-09-2012, 04:23 PM
I assumed it was a bracelet because of the hinge and clasp.....

Still it is a lovely stone and I would not dismantle either as the bezel as it is seems to be in the right place, often vigorous burnishing can sort those little bumps and kinks out, I a steel or an agate burnisher and just take my time going round and round concentrating the most effort on the stubborn wrinkles first, and as Dennis said a file is all that is needed on the corners. I find placing a finger on the stone in the corner protects it (if not my finger) from accidental scrapes.

Julian
20-09-2012, 08:13 PM
i have a special burnisher i made from 999 AKT (http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Pusher-Style-3---Square-End-prcode-999-AKT)

Basicly there is a very fine grove in the end that fits the metal at the edge of the setting as sorts out all the wrinkles.

3861

3862

Dennis
20-09-2012, 09:01 PM
I assumed it was a bracelet because of the hinge and clasp.....

I'm waiting to be corrected, but if it were a bracelet with a diameter near 6 cm, then judging by the picture the stone would be a clonking 3- 3½ cm square. Apart from anything else that would require a bezel way too long for a beginner to manage.

Well I'm waiting to be shot down. Any bets, anyone? Dennis.

theresa
21-09-2012, 03:29 PM
Thanks guys for your input.
Yes it is a bracelet and yes the stone is approx 3cms square, it's Ocean Jasper. I have set bigger stones but in different types of settings as I am trying to learn as many as I can.
I may be a novice but I like a challenge and certainly don't let the size put me off! I tend to buy stones that I like and then think about how to set them later. (Doesn't everybody?)

Theresa

PS I would still like to know what type of gravers/scorpers I should be using to tidy up bezels. In a lot of my books they are shown but not described in detail.

Kwant
21-09-2012, 03:43 PM
Yup same here re stones and not rarely have my eyes been bigger than my belly as is sometimes said, and ebing mean with my silver has led to some very creative settings using minimal silver for the OTT large ones :0)

Goldsmith
21-09-2012, 05:34 PM
PS I would still like to know what type of gravers/scorpers I should be using to tidy up bezels. In a lot of my books they are shown but not described in detail.[/QUOTE]

Theresa,
I use many sizes and shapes of scorpers, for cleaning up your bezel I would use a flat scorper with a polished cutting face. I would suggest this size as a start a 1.4mm. flat scorper and a handle, see;
http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Flat-Scorper-Size-14-1.4mm-Vallorbe-Ref-401-Ws-prcode-999-AYF
http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Wooden-Handleshape-D-prcode-999-ALO

If you do not know how to prepare scorpers for use here is a photo tutorial that I prepared a while back. I always harden and temper my scorpers after shaping them, these photos show the process.
James

3863

Dennis
21-09-2012, 09:14 PM
Yes it is a bracelet and yes the stone is approx 3cms square, it's Ocean Jasper.

Well I stand corrected, But you're not such a dummy if you got this far, Theresa.

theresa
22-09-2012, 09:57 PM
Thank you kind sir. I suppose that is a sort of compliment?

lilia
23-09-2012, 07:42 AM
Well, to be honest I don't think you need a graver to tidy up the setting. To me it looks like the bezel is not totally closed in some places, so you just need to close that (at this late stage I usually use a small hammer and a tiny pusher I have which is made from an old bur) and give it a good polish.

The bangle is beautiful and the stone is gorgeous, so I wouldn't even dream of dismatling the whole piece. The setting looks fine too, just a tiny bit more closing to do :-)

mizgeorge
23-09-2012, 10:48 AM
I actually think there's not that much to do. I'd go in with a good burnisher (and a bit of elbow grease) and I suspect it would tighten up beautifully. I don't know what style of bezel pusher you're using for these, but I usually find a rocking one does a better job for long edges if you're trying to avoid getting the little waves that are showing on the picture.

theresa
23-09-2012, 01:19 PM
The reason I have not finished setting it was I thought there was going to be too much bezel over the stone as it will start to go over the curve in the some places. I can appreciate why the old time setters used to use sawdust! Perhaps I am being too pernickety and should just get on with it.....

Tabby66
23-09-2012, 08:40 PM
You cannot be too pernickety Theresa, perfection is something we all strive for ;-)

theresa
28-09-2012, 03:06 PM
Have just ordered one from Cooksons, hopefully I will be able to follow your instructions for preparing it.

Thank you
Theresa
PS I would still like to know what type of gravers/scorpers I should be using to tidy up bezels. In a lot of my books they are shown but not described in detail.

Theresa,
I use many sizes and shapes of scorpers, for cleaning up your bezel I would use a flat scorper with a polished cutting face. I would suggest this size as a start a 1.4mm. flat scorper and a handle, see;
http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Flat-Scorper-Size-14-1.4mm-Vallorbe-Ref-401-Ws-prcode-999-AYF
http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Wooden-Handleshape-D-prcode-999-ALO

If you do not know how to prepare scorpers for use here is a photo tutorial that I prepared a while back. I always harden and temper my scorpers after shaping them, these photos show the process.
James

3863[/QUOTE]

theresa
28-09-2012, 07:22 PM
3876

Well guys I finished the bracelet but c****d up the setting. I cut out the corners of the bezel but didn't make a very good job of it. How do you get right in to smooth them off? A lesson learnt for the future nonetheless.

Theresa

Dennis
28-09-2012, 08:02 PM
Not quite sure what problem you had Theresa, but the Vs once cut with a saw, can be shaped with a triangular needle file or a half round file. If more finishing is required a small rubber wheel such as Cooksons knife edge 977 090 for pendant motor would do so.

If you have any sort of diamond coated gadget, then rubber wheels can be run on it to restore the shape without harming your gadget.

Dennis.

jille
29-09-2012, 05:32 AM
that looks gorgeous, I love the stone.
I too have been reworking some bezels on a couple of pendants I made a while back but the bezel came too far over the stones. I managed to remove them and file them down and I'm ready to put the stones back but before I do I thought I'd ask if a few dents in the bezel, or lines will disappear when I burnish/ polish the bezel?

theresa
29-09-2012, 11:32 AM
Not quite sure what problem you had Theresa, but the Vs once cut with a saw, can be shaped with a triangular needle file or a half round file. If more finishing is required a small rubber wheel such as Cooksons knife edge 977 090 for pendant motor would do so.

If you have any sort of diamond coated gadget, then rubber wheels can be run on it to restore the shape without harming your gadget.

Dennis.
Have just ordered a knife edge from Cookies - I needed to remove file marks from within the 'V' but I also cut them a bit crooked which didn't help with the 'perfect' look I was trying to achieve.
Thanks Dennis
Theresa

theresa
29-09-2012, 11:43 AM
that looks gorgeous, I love the stone.
I too have been reworking some bezels on a couple of pendants I made a while back but the bezel came too far over the stones. I managed to remove them and file them down and I'm ready to put the stones back but before I do I thought I'd ask if a few dents in the bezel, or lines will disappear when I burnish/ polish the bezel?
When this happened to me I tried to smooth them out as best I could by gently tweaking with half rounded pliers and then inserting the stone (with dental tape around to remove later) finally gently sanding with an assortment of rubber burrs ranging from med to extra fine - but it's just trial & error really you have to use your own best judgement. Of course when the stone goes in proper any small marks should burnish out. At least that is what I have found.
(Just noticed you are a senior member - hope I am not teaching you to suck eggs!)

Theresa

jille
30-09-2012, 11:53 AM
Thanks Theresa, I'm probably senior as I signed up a while back, but I'm just a newbie when it comes to working with metal

enigma
12-10-2014, 11:09 AM
Theresa that bracelet is gorgeous!
Can I ask how you made the hinges?

camalidesign
12-10-2014, 12:14 PM
Hi Theresa,

I know this is an old post, but when I set stones with corners, even sharper than yours, I cut the bezel down so that the amount to push over is the same around the corners as it is on the rest of the stone. I don't cut V's as such, I cut down a gentle curve down to the lowest point at the cormers and that seems to work for me, no excess metal that puckers and disturbes the rest of the setting. This is something you need to do anyway with a lot of stones, e.g. I set a lot of turquoise cabs, and other stones, that are far from even in thickness around, and so I use a pencil and draw a line on the inside of the bezel with the stone in place, then cut down to that line all around, whihc means I cut more in some places than others, this makes sure you have the same amount of metal to be pushed over all around. Seems to work for me and in my mind looks good too. It's different of course with cut stones with sharp square corners, they require different techniques that I can't say I am that familiar with.

Hope that helps, and sorry if I have just told you something you already knew! :)

Carin