An in depth description of the jewellers tools
Here, I am listing an in-depth description of the jewellers tools, there real names, what they are for & how they are used, again this is work in progress, so keep checking for updates.
BENCH PEG
This is what we, as jewellers, work on 90% of the time and is our main aid in the making of jewellery.
SAWFRAME
A steel frame with a wooden handle, you insert a very fine blade into the wing nuts, the blade is very very fine, the finest is like a hairs breadth. It has very fine teeth & is very sharp. Almost a fret saw, very manoeuvrable so that the jeweller can do very fine, precision work.
SAW BLADES
Blades that fit into the sawframe. They are almost as fine as your hair but can come in thicker gradients and are able to do very fine work, such as filigree.
PLIERS
Round nose and ring nose/half round pliers used to shape metal, by way of using hands and pliers. Round nose for turning up small circular rings; half round for turning up rings.
EMERY STICKS
Are for preparing work for polishing, removing all the scratches, file marks, shallow fire stain etc. There are two types, flat and ring, and come in several gradients from rough to smooth.
EMERY BLOCK
Does almost the same as emery sticks, but can get in to small nooks and crannies, easier to use and lasts longer.
FILES
Remove, amongst other things, solder marks, files down the metal to any given thickness and basically, cleans up your work.
NEEDLE FILES
Do the same as files, but because they resemble a needle, do much finer, smaller work, in much more awkward places.
SOLDER
Is the substance that fuses the silver together and comes in three different types - temperatures: HARD, MEDIUM & EASY. Each one “runs” at a different lesser temperature than the last, HARD being the last to run and EASY being the first when heated with a torch. For example, if you have a ring with, for arguments sake, three points of solder, you will first use the hard solder, melting at the greatest temperature 780°C, then you would use on the next point medium solder, melting at 730°C, then the last point easy solder melting at 680°C. These solders come in paste cement form in an oversize hypodermic needle and last for months on end.
TRIBLETS
Or steel mandrel, shapes metal, sheet, wire: perfectly round, square, triangular. Can be hardened steel or hard wood, mandrel's come in different sizes and weights, steel mandrel's can come with ring sizes on, consisting of the alphabet, ie. ring sizes. Also the steel disappears to a taper on the mandrel,
the metal is beaten usually with a cow hide mallet.
MALLET
A cow hide (Soft Hammer) handled implement, comes in different sizes and weights, Used to shape metal, mainly on the triblet above, but also on an anvil/hotplate and can be aided with other tools, such as punches to shape the metal. one mallet will last a jeweller a lifetime.
BENCH PEG
This is what we, as jewellers, work on 90% of the time and is our main aid in the making of jewellery.
SAWFRAME
A steel frame with a wooden handle, you insert a very fine blade into the wing nuts, the blade is very very fine, the finest is like a hairs breadth. It has very fine teeth & is very sharp. Almost a fret saw, very manoeuvrable so that the jeweller can do very fine, precision work.
SAW BLADES
Blades that fit into the sawframe. They are almost as fine as your hair but can come in thicker gradients and are able to do very fine work, such as filigree.
PLIERS
Round nose and ring nose/half round pliers used to shape metal, by way of using hands and pliers. Round nose for turning up small circular rings; half round for turning up rings.
EMERY STICKS
Are for preparing work for polishing, removing all the scratches, file marks, shallow fire stain etc. There are two types, flat and ring, and come in several gradients from rough to smooth.
EMERY BLOCK
Does almost the same as emery sticks, but can get in to small nooks and crannies, easier to use and lasts longer.
FILES
Remove, amongst other things, solder marks, files down the metal to any given thickness and basically, cleans up your work.
NEEDLE FILES
Do the same as files, but because they resemble a needle, do much finer, smaller work, in much more awkward places.
SOLDER
Is the substance that fuses the silver together and comes in three different types - temperatures: HARD, MEDIUM & EASY. Each one “runs” at a different lesser temperature than the last, HARD being the last to run and EASY being the first when heated with a torch. For example, if you have a ring with, for arguments sake, three points of solder, you will first use the hard solder, melting at the greatest temperature 780°C, then you would use on the next point medium solder, melting at 730°C, then the last point easy solder melting at 680°C. These solders come in paste cement form in an oversize hypodermic needle and last for months on end.
TRIBLETS
Or steel mandrel, shapes metal, sheet, wire: perfectly round, square, triangular. Can be hardened steel or hard wood, mandrel's come in different sizes and weights, steel mandrel's can come with ring sizes on, consisting of the alphabet, ie. ring sizes. Also the steel disappears to a taper on the mandrel,
the metal is beaten usually with a cow hide mallet.
MALLET
A cow hide (Soft Hammer) handled implement, comes in different sizes and weights, Used to shape metal, mainly on the triblet above, but also on an anvil/hotplate and can be aided with other tools, such as punches to shape the metal. one mallet will last a jeweller a lifetime.
Work in Progress
My bench at work
My Jewellers Bench, Made By Frank Kirkman
Cheers Mate!
My Tools, a lot recently donated by Ann Chisholm, Thank you Ann.
Pliers!
Me, doing what I do, what I love.
Here I am knocking a ring up with a Triblet & a Mallet
Me working on a Tension Ring
Me using a Wedding Ring Sizer to harden the properties of a silver tension ring
Russell preparing to solder.
Russell soldering
Wire being twisted to make a bangle
Soldering with a Micro Torch & Solder Paste
Precision soldering, steady hand!
Val twisting some wire
Diane & I
Mimi & Barbara
Mimis Husband, Micheal made this,
Its stunning to look at!
Micheals Swirl Ring, Its Perfect.
I made this for myself about 4 years ago, its no longer with us as I smashed it closing a draw with force about two years ago.
Tonys Sun, Silver & Copper Broach.
Tony made these, by hand, every jump ring! Then constructed them, in meticulous fashion then "drew" them down through a draw plate. he blew me away! amazing fete Tony, well done!
Tonys Cornelian Ring, he wears it to this day.
Ande Made this about 5 years ago, the language is Chinese Manderin, it spells "I Love Rollercoaster"
Well done Ande.
Frank Kirkman, Thankyou.
Frank, I am indebted to you for all the hard work you do, it really is appreciated.You are there for me every night, to help and assist, kick my arse, do the things that I cant do, we have the use of your tools & knowledge.
The man himself, cracking smile my friend!
Franks Workshop, Organised Chaos.
Franks Windmill
Frank & I
Frank showing of his manufactured pieces.
Frank helping out students
Frank setting a stone
Frank made this for me, its a draw bench to draw down wire.
Cheers.
Just more Tiara's that
Frank has made, well done
mate.
The man himself, cracking smile my friend!
Franks Workshop, Organised Chaos.
Franks Windmill
Frank & I
Frank showing of his manufactured pieces.
Frank helping out students
Frank setting a stone
Frank made this for me, its a draw bench to draw down wire.
Cheers.
Just more Tiara's that
Frank has made, well done
mate.
All of my (Including My Students) Tension Rings
Tension Rings, they are an absolute joy to look at, relatively easy to make, the awkward part is "hardening the metal". Depending on what stone you use, deciphers how you are going to "set the stone".
This was the first Tension Ring I made about ten years ago now, notice the stone is slightly askew. Made it for my sister, Rachel Bowden
This is one of my students (Barbara Gaskill) tension rings
Debbies Tension Ring
Sam's Tension Ring
Jo's Glass Ring
This was the first Tension Ring I made about ten years ago now, notice the stone is slightly askew. Made it for my sister, Rachel Bowden
This is one of my students (Barbara Gaskill) tension rings
Debbies Tension Ring
Sam's Tension Ring
Jo's Glass Ring
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