Critique Request Baby Bracelet

[matthew.townsley]

Little sterling silver bracelet.
I was happy with the letters, but i did find that on some of the curves, I had a bit of a bur throwing up on the edge...
Any pointers from you friendly folk out there?

Cheers,
Matt

 

[Ed Westerly]

My experience with lettering, especially with a flat, is that burrs are just to be expected. You cut them away very carefully, and recut if necessary.

 

[MexicanEngraver]

good starting,

 

[unclejohn]

not 100% sure looking at the picture but cuts maybe not quite as bright as could be. make sure your graver is polished to a mirror finish. Little oil at the same time might help a little.

 

[monk]

i do a lot of "baby "stuff" for a local jeweler. i hate doing the miniature rings. i don't mind the rest of it. i have difficulty now doing tiny, detailed items. praise the lord for the dude who invented the pantograph !

 

[matthew.townsley]

Thanks for the help guys, I'll keep plugging away.

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

i do a lot of "baby "stuff" for a local jeweler. i hate doing the miniature rings. i don't mind the rest of it. i have difficulty now doing tiny, detailed items. praise the lord for the dude who invented the pantograph !

Monk, because of the pantograph, lots of hand engravers lost their jobs, how can you like that?

arnaud

 

[Brian Marshall]

Arnaud,


There are also lots of smiths who use the pantograph on a daily basis to lay out work to be sawn out for fabrication - that work will then be hand engraved...

I am one of them.

I do use a motorized pantograph occasionally to rout out lettering that will later be filled with enamel on banners and badges.

I do not use it as subsitute for my hand engraved lettering. Never have. I hand letter at least half of every work day.

They are a VERY handy tool for some purposes.


Brian

 

[Mike A]

I do a lot of lettering for jewelry stores and I'm betting your bracelet was plated and hence the burs. Some silver is nickel plated and then silver or rhodium plated. It's the nickel that is the problem; sometimes it even lifts off. And if you slip, you cannot just simply burnish and polish it away because once you do, the object will be a different color metal. It's basicly ruin and you eat it. I don't take on any plated jobs. Something to think about if you are just starting out.
Mike

 

[matthew.townsley]

Ok, I'll keep it in mind.
I work in a jewellery shop, it is potentially rhodium plated sterling silver.. I didnt think we had much nickel or silver plated silver in australia.. but then again, I dont know the suppliers personally. I might have a look into it.
The bur im referring to though, is a very minor one, that you cant really feel with your finger, but on closer magnification, you can see it slightly on the edge of the letters. Might just need to sharpen a bit better.

Thanks mike.
Matt

 

[Mike A]

Just to follow up a bit; silver should not be "dipped" in rhodium as it will ruin it, hence it is nickel plated first. Rhodium is very expensive to ruin.
I did see a site selling rhodium solution with the tag that silver could go directly into it. I'm curious if any one on here has tried such a solution.
Mike