Polishing like the Pros September 24 2018

When I started stamping it was a complete mystery how jewelers went from a piece of metal that looked as if it had been run over in a gravel driveway to a beautiful mirror finish.  I dove into Etsy forums and Youtube tutorials and found one of the most common jeweler's tools, the flex shaft.  Very similar to a Dremel (I started with a Dremel myself) this a rotary tool allows for several different abrasive and polishing tips to mount to it.  So many that it becomes a task in itself finding those that work best most efficiently for you. 

Here is what I have found to work for me:

1. Silicone Tips: These come in a variety of grits and will buff out scratches in a jiffy.  For gold fill, I only use the non-abrasive tips as the abrasive sort will actually take the layer of gold off the surface.  

2. Felt Buffing Wheel: Used with a rouge (polishing compound) these are a magic last step.  The shine they bring about is glorious, truly a mirror finish.  Will make every piece of your jewelry a star.

3. Sand Paper: Yep, a strip of sand paper can also be used to take out scratches.  The process also involves going from a courser to finer grit, and honestly I use this method infrequently.  The polishing tips seem to be a bit easier for me.

4. Fiber Wheels: These guys add a really nice soft texture to your metal.  This is what I use to create our brushed finish.

Whether you are a novice or experience jewelry maker, or just a curious client I hope you enjoyed the info!  

And no, that is not me in the video.  But doesn't she have a lovely accent?