I bought a great new torch! Always being on the lookout for good deals, I have been occasionally checking Craigslist and ebay for a well priced torch. Finally, I picked up a “new in-box” Smith […]
In the last month, we’ve moved from Savannah, GA to Lexington, KY, and I have started a new full-time job as a repair jeweler. Having so much newness in my life is pretty exhausting, so […]
This morning I found this Ted Talk that I so thoroughly enjoyed, I bought the ebook, Steal Like an Artist (which happened to be on sale at Amazon, that’s how I discovered the video in […]
A newly cast ring still requires a lot of work before it is ready to wear. I began by carving a wax model, (see Part I) which I invested and cast (see Part II). Now […]
In Part I of this series, I showed how a wax model of a ring is made while Part III covers finishing a cast ring. In this installment, I demonstrate how a wax model becomes […]
There is so much to love about lost wax casting! Since a great deal of jewelry is cast, I thought it would be fun to share the process with you. Lost wax casting starts with […]
Dapping punch sets make great gifts for jewelry makers! I received one off my wishlist as a Christmas gift. Since I didn’t have my own and every studio jeweler needs one, I figured the Jumbo […]
A Shiny New Rawhide Mallet I love new tools… Except a new rawhide mallet. Sometimes a beat up old tool is better than a new one. A new mallet has a really hard surface and […]
Despite our best efforts, hammers get dented from time to time. Goldsmith, planishing, and forging hammers all require smooth, polished faces to work as intended. These types of hammers can be very expensive to replace, […]
Wax carving is fun, until the files start to get gummed up with wax. In the studio, since many of the tools here are shared, our files and burs require occasional cleaning that a file […]
Wow, it was so exciting to see this on The Limited’s website. Everyone who took this class worked really hard and it was so great to see our pieces in person, and featured online! These […]
Creating a small divot on your metal before drilling a hole makes the task much easier. The indentation prevents your drill bit from dancing around the surface of your piece, causing unsightly scratches. Traditionally, this […]