stone setting burnisher?

Hi, I am new here and in the process of learning and I am curious if anyone could point me in the right direction of a stone setting burnisher I could use in my Lindsay airgraver. Either bought or made and if its the latter could you tell me what you used? Thanks!

GRS sells one. I personally think it's a bit too wide so I just make my own from carbide blanks. It's very similar to a radiused heel like used on a flat graver. The difference is you you polish the shape a full 180' so as to create a nice round blunt end. It's very important to polish to a mirror finish. Carbide is great for diamonds. But anything else I use tool steel as the carbide will scratch corundum and softer material.

http://www.grstools.com/gravers-burs-and-more/022-346.html

I believe one of the old Don Glasser videos shows how to make them. I don't recall which one though.

You can grind the sides off the GRS ones to make them smaller. Out of the packet they are a bit big as Bert says. Just narrow them down to what size you need.

I have about three of them, medium, small and tiny......mind you, they all look small so it's all relative

Cheers
Andrew

I reuse a lot of broken burs for different size or shaped burnishers and punches.

ive also seen steel burnishers with very thin copper or silver soldered on the side that comes into contact with the softer stones, to help protect against scratching the stones.

Perhaps I am not as aggressive a stone setter? I do use carbide burnishers - occasionally - but they are not always my "go to tool".

I choose the tool I have had the best results from, depending on the stone.

I use some carbide in diamond setting, but that choice can vary with the stone - value of the stone, the thickness of the girdle, flaws out toward the edge, radiation treatment, etc.


With colored stones I prefer to work with natural stones rather than commonly substituted synthetic corundum.

I do use those synthetics and CZs to start students off with - because they are cheap and uniform.


There are burnishers made of brass, mild stainless, tool stool (as in the recycled burs) and a few made of carbide on my bench. Yes, you will spend more time reshaping and polishing the first two.

But reducing the risk of breakage when burnishing in natural stones like peridot, emerald, and the quartzes seems to be more successfully done with softer metal tools.

Blaine Lewis recommends a burnisher made out of a stainless steel fork tine...


I once took on a job that required several 3mm round opal cabs to be burnished in place. (I covered myself - extra stones and a higher price) Did manage to get it done with no loss, but I would charge even more next time something like that comes up.



When I take in a customers stone(s) to set and examine it/them - I may have the customer sign a liability release for stones that look "iffy" under the microscope.

Otherwise, I own them if I break them and must notify the customer and replace them out of my pocket.


As always, these are MY experiences and methods. There ain't no rules! Your mileage may/will vary...


Brian

Keep in mind that there are basically only two kinds of stonesetters. Those that chip or break a stone once in a great while - and those that lie a lot.

thanks for all the replies guys! ill look into modifying the grs one, that sounds like itd suit my needs, thanks again