Help with polishing please.

[foidster]

Hello All,

I posted here a few weeks ago saying hi. I'm pleased to report that things have been coming along swimmingly. I'm genuinely amazed at what I've managed to accomplish in such a short time. Sadly the course I was going to go on was full up so I'm going solo at the moment, but perhaps that's not such a bad thing. I'm mostly solving problems pretty well. I've attached a collage of my work so far. The photography is pretty poor, and it's all still very much practice but I am really pleased with the earrings and I set my first stone yesterday (the ring). I made the collett from scratch using bezel strip and although it's not quite perfect I thought it was a pretty good effort for first go using only a book and internet for tutition! I literally just snapped and edited these pics quickly so I could post them here but will look into better photography as it improves! Anyway. Thanks for all the advice so far. I do have another request for help though. I seem to be having a bit of trouble polishing one or two of the items. I do like silver to look really shiny and it seems a bit hit and miss. I am using a dremel tool (cheap version but does the job I think?) and I currently have standard polishing pads (cotton I think), fibre wheels (the ones where cotton sprays EVERYWHERE!) from Cooksons and Leather wheels from Cooksons. I have Tripoli and Rouge for first and second polish. I have tried various combinations of wheels and polishes but I don't seem to be understanding the process very well. It seems that sometimes the silver just springs into super shiny life and others just goes black followed by dull! Can anyone help me to understand the process? First of all. What is the black? Am I using too much polish or not enough? How much do you need? It seems to me also that the polish is to a degree removing some of the surface. Should I be aiming to polish "deep" or is the idea to just touch the silver gently and move on? What wheels are best for super shine? Do I really need to use Tripoli first or can I just use rouge? I am puzzled and the ring shown in the picture that has an amber set into it just won't polish. What am I doing wrong please? Grateful for any advice. Thanks
John (Bristol)

[Goldsmith]

Hello John, I use a polishing motor not a Dremel but for polishing silver I would first use emory papers to remove heavy file marks, then I would start my polishing with a small bristle brush on my polisher motor, this is used with Tripoli but use it sparingly, one dap on the spinning mop every now and then, and when you have a decent sheen over the piece and no sign of scratch marks, then clean any polish that is left on the piece with a little parrafin on a soft cloth. For the final polish I use a "Swansdown" mop, with rouge, I also use a jamjar with some parrafin inside as a lubricant for this mop, I have a six inch length of wood dowel which I dip in the parrafin and wipe across the swansdown mop while it is rotating, then I dab on some rouge and commence the final polish. follow this route and you should get the high shine polish you desire. After polishing wash the item in hot soapy water with a very soft brush.
Good luck,
James

[foidster]

Thanks James. That's helpful. Best get some parrafin then. Where can you buy it?

[Goldsmith]

Hi John,
Most hardware shops will sell parrafin oil it is used in old type heaters and oil lamps, or you can get it from B&Q they sell 4 litres for £6.50. see; Bartoline Premium Paraffin 4 Litres, 15135245