Hello, my very good friends....everywhere!

This essay is on "Diamond Setting tools for a "Fish-Tail" pattern". This essay starts from a wax form and shows you what tools you to use; when, where, why and of course how!

On my "Difficulty Stage" this design is estimated to be @ 9.5 out of 10, as 10 is the most difficult.

In this first of many, many (59) photographs, you can see starting with the 'wax form'. It is from this early stage something beautiful will evolve, all it takes is a skill & much planning before you start each cut!

The only thing that you must be concerned about, is to have the holes in the wax, thoroughly drilled through. If there is any wax remaining then those remnants will be metal after the casting process has been completed, (as shown in the picture).

The pattern on the left is the beginning of the many steps until this is completed after you scroll down to the end of this essay. The pattern on the right is the finished "Heart-Shaped" design using many gravers that I will be soon explaining to you.

=> Some of my photographs were repeated many times, that is because I had to fully explain different reasons for each graver and their many uses. My apologies!

Instead of a "Fish Tail" as seen on the left, I prefer this curved design, why? It has gently curved metal, with no sharp edges anywhere. These edges could very well catch your clothing!

This metal cutting requires many years in the skill of "Bright-Cutting". I've been Bright-Cutting for the past 63 years....YES 63 years, and still counting! (dated today @ May 07th. 2021)

In this photograph, there are 27 Gravers and only a few handles. With these 2 handles, I am able to interchange any of them to suit the graver that's required at a moment's notice.

There are Flat, and a multitude of Onglette #1, #2 plus a few #3 which are the widest, but these still have one or two uses.

I must have a graver that is always in the 'best condition', it must be ready to be used without any stopping to fix or repair it! I need to have my Flat Graver as seen here, always in pristine condition at all times.

Here are my chosen gravers that I will be using continually. When I have just two handles, I'll have both of them with the two chosen gravers. I could have one Onglette graver in one handle and or a Flat graver in the other handle. Many times I will have this arrangement to help me to save much time changing gravers.

Before you attempt to set any stones, please "pre-polish" all of the metal. If this is left for afterwards, you might just wear down some of the very important mini claws, or prongs.

The first picture is of the Tripoli compound, although it's a mixture that cleans the metal, but not as bright as the Rouge.

First of many useful notes;

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This Rouge compound should be used AFTER Tripoli. It should be cleaned to get all of the Tripoli particles of the metal first. If not, you will be defeating the whole purpose of metal cleaning and Polishing. Both compounds being mixed together, or contaminating each is a bad technique to learn! aka DON'T DO IT!

Here you can see just the two beads, aka (mini-claws) that will soon be holding your stones.

I use a "tapered to a pointed edge" Pumice wheel at #180 grit, I use this to clean any crevice that is requiring a smooth surface everywhere.

After the Blue-Grey Pumice wheel of #180 grit, please follow up with using the #1,000 grit Polishing Pink Wheel. You would be amazed just how much brighter this metal can get.

I will use my Triangular File with a #4 cut, with a length of 20cm, (or nearly 8 inches) to really get into all of the finer areas of the design. I will further use a Triangular file, once again as I can't leave any areas, not to my liking.

I use the phrase "if it isn't 100%, it's just not good enough!"... Simple as that!

Here are the few FLAT gravers that I will be using to cut the "Fish-Tail" pattern.

More details are shown when you scroll further down in my essay. The "H.S. 39" is a very thin "Flat Graver", and is not needed for this pendant,

but it is always in my graver inventory for later use. I will use ONLY the "H.S.S. 'Glardon' #12 & #10" for this pendant design.

The left side of the graver is removed; as I want only the "Right-Side" to do the cutting into the metal.

You can see just how this "modified-graver" now looks. All of this modifying is done on a bench-grinder. The "right side of the blade" is the most important side of the graver as it is the Bright-Cutting side. This is a close-up viewing.

Now you can see the actual graver that will do the very important....'metal sculpting'.

These photographs are of one graver, but you can see how the right side of this graver looks. It's modified & shaped to cut at an angle of 45 degrees.

This is my favourite graver that does all of the cutting. The unwanted side is on the left, the CUTTING FACE is modified to be at a "45degree cutting angle".

Another view, but now with 2 mini-claws! But here you can see very easily that much cleaning has to be done with your #005 & #006 Bud Shaped burs. These mini-claws (as I call them) should be cleaned of any extra metal. I'd easily use a larger round bur first, I will make all mini-claws look like "little posts".

These "posts" can now be pushed over the girdle of the stone with your 'Bead-Burnisher'.

After I place the stone in the metal I will then "burnish" or form the mini-claw metal over the stone. If I set the stone first, I'd have metal remaining everywhere. But here the metal has been trimmed away and the stone is clear of any unwanted metal, it looks now so very clean in its appearance!

This extra unwanted metal can easily be removed by using a "bud or round shaped burs". Just get rid of this metal before you attempt to set any stone. If you don't remove the metal now, it will be very difficult afterwards.

This is how the "Set of Bead-Burnishers" look when this set is bought.

In this picture, I used my #006 round & bud-shaped burs to excavate all of the miscellaneous metal..everywhere!

The vertical wall must be shining bright all around the Heart-Shaped pendant. I would use a tapered, "005, Bud-bur" to further carve any unwanted metal around the bead or claw. None of this can be done with the stone being first set, agree?

In these 3 trays, there are many shapes and sizes of 'carbon steel' burs, they are: REMEMBER TO KEEP THEM WELL OILED when in use!

VERY IMPORTANT SETTING INFORMATION:

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=> DO NOT USE ANY BUR, OF ANY SIZE, H.S.S. OR NOT, WITHOUT ANY OIL, OR LUBRICANT<=

If you neglect this ultra-important point, your burs will very quickly get burned. This is abuse of your setting-tools and you are wasting your money!

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The prefix number #1 representing a round-shaped bur, (seen on the left of each package).

The prefix number #6 represents a bud-shaped bur.

The prefix number #156C is an 'undercutting', bearing-cutter, heart-shaped bur & it's "Carbon Steel".

The prefix number #414 meaning that this bur is an "Under-Cutting" & #156C bur!

The prefix number #203 & #77 are the styles of "twist drills"!

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Added notes for you to remember:

The numbers on the right side of each package signify the millimetre size "006" means .006 mm's; also

"1-022" means "Round bur of .022 mm's in width"

Further instructions in using your Emery, Pumice & Cloth mini-wheels;

The assortment of Pumice and Cloth wheels are carefully selected in the uses for this pendant.

Let me explain which pumice wheel you should use:

I use a Blue-Grey (Tapered, or pointed) Pumice wheel of #180 grit that comes first, then I will use a Pink (Tapered, or pointed) pumice wheel of #1,000 grit. As this Pink wheel is similar to a Polishing wheel, I use this ONLY AFTER using the Blue-Grey #180 basic pumice wheel.

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"Please, DO NOT SPEED UP THE ROTATION OF YOUR BUR, in case you might damage your metal design"

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There are 3 kinds of grits of the Emery Wheels, which are "Medium grit", "Snap-On, Emery disks", these are used only if there needs some aggressive post-casting cleaning that needs to be done.

The Emery grits are; "FINE", "MEDIUM", "COARSE". The "FINE GRIT" is not truly needed, as it doesn't remove much of the casting marks. The "COARSE GRIT" has a tendency to be too aggressive in the many delicate areas.

Please stay with the "Medium grit" as it is the best grit to get used to!

These are your much needed small "Rouge & Tripoli" wheels. I'd use these instead of the large cloth wheels. If you are using your large polishing motor at 30,000 RPM, this speed could very easily wear down all of your highly detailed Onglette Cutting.

Here is my small assortment of burs that I commonly use. This is only 25% of my vast bur collection.

I would use the Pink (Tapered) Pumice @ #1,000 grit wheel to add to the quality of the final "Bright-Cutting". I do this all the time just to enhance, but not destroy the metal-finishing.

The "Flake Shellac" in this photograph is on this wooden dowel is basically called "Shellac". I'm using this compound to make the metal cuttings that will be worked on a flat surface. (just as we are doing in on this essay).

When the shellac is heated (not burned) with a "Mini-Torch" it then melts and then holds the item on the dowel when it's cooled.

To remove (all) of this shellac, it can be easily removed with "Methyl Hydrate". This can be bought at any hardware store!

It is quite common for me to use my Pink #1,000 grit Pumice Wheel to clean the "line-cutting". I will do this not all the time, but just to make the cutting-line clean and of course, smooth!

I'd like to have this 'cutting wall' nearly vertical, this is a very delicate process and it's not very easy to master this technique! All you need is a very careful hand in its operating of the gravers & rotating pumice wheels.

I will use a 'bead-burnisher' to push the 'mini beads' over the stone, plus again using a #1 Onglette-shaped graver to create 'mini - beads' inside the curved area to further secure the stone.

I will use both my #180 grit and then with my #1,000 Grit Pumice Wheel just to make the 'curved areas' smooth to the touch!

History lesson for...everyone!

Here is an assortment of my Flat High-Speed Steel gravers. Number #10 is the 1.10mm's thinnest blade and #12 is 1.25 mm's in the width. The "HSS" initials mean basically "High-Speed-Steel" as this graver is heat-treated or "case-hardened steel" this makes the steel graver last much longer in between the many cuttings and this graver won't get worn down so fast!

If you buy the regular carbon steel (without the HSS names) these tools will get worn down and need to be re-sharpened on your oil-stone or even on your bench-Grinder often.

These gravers with the prefix "H.S. & H.S.S." are basically the same, don't get confused when you're buying gravers with these letters. If your new gravers don't have these important letters, (from my own experience) stay away from them.

Please buy your gravers with the prefix lettering "H.S.S." at all times! You might pay a few dollars extra, but these will last much longer and well worth the few dollars. All of my gravers are of "HSS" steel.

The names "Vallorbe" and "E.C. Muller" are the names of the manufacturers. I remember that "E.C. Muller" gravers were used back in 1960 <=> 1970. There are also gravers named "Lyons", all of these names of gravers are the best setting tools in the jewellery market. "Glardon" gravers are Swiss made.

At this point, I'll be using a #156C, The letter "C" means Carbon "Heart-shaped" bur that will under-cut the metal and the stone will sit in this newly made recessed seat in the metal.

But what I have for you is in the form of photographs like a photographic library. If you've never seen a completed "Fish-Tail Cutting" from the early stages of cutting a "Fish-Tail" design, then these photographs will be rather interesting for you.

Very few Diamond setters will be interested in spending their time explaining these many detailed steps.

For your question about cutting the "Fish-Tail" design, I know this topic will be an added feature to my blog.

MORE DIAMOND SETTING NOTES:

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I use only #2 Onglette graver and sometimes a #1, why? The thinner #1 is too thin to cut such intricate patterns. But I could use the #1 for the initial "rough cutting", then I will use my #2 Onglette to shape the "Fish-Tail" patterns in the metal. This is used after I carve with the #1 Onglette blade, I will modify this graver (by removing much of the metal on the left side) just to have it cut only on one side. As I am Right-Handed, I will use the Onglette that is specifically shaped just for all 'Right-Sided' cutting.

These are my complete inventory of gravers, all of them can be easily exchanged in the two handles.

To answer a friend of mine who proposed this question in an essay, a few weeks ago. She asked me, "is the heel of the graver'' smoothed or rounded at the front edge?" My answer is a definite NO!

The bottom of the graver must be as sharp as you can get it! The graver point is, to be used in "sculpting a design in the metal"

Here are my assortment of setting tools for any piece of jewellery, I use my #800 grit polishing paper just for keeping my Flat graver sharp and with no metal indentations. Then that sharp-cutting face will then cut a clear pattern.

With all of the fine cleaning of the pattern, and as well it has been polished, we are now ready to place the stones into the pendant.

The most coarse paper is #240 grit, then comes the #400. The medium-soft grit is #600 to #800 grit. Now here are some very interesting notes on polishing papers for you;

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Do you see the "Primary Drafting" pencil, this pencil will fill in the pores of the paper and render the paper one degree softer, this is so very necessary for any kind of Diamond Setting.

Let's say you don't have #1,000 grit paper, well you do now, how is that? You should rub the pencil lead into the #800 and this #800 paper now comes to be a #1,000 grit; Interesting isn't this?

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The paper of #1,200 as shown with the "Primary Pencil" rubbing will make this paper at least #1,400 or even up to #1,500 polishing paper. There will be times in Diamond Setting when this is needed. I will keep using the "Primary Pencil" lead with a flat face just for the rubbing process.

Paper grit numbers and the degree of softness:

#240 is the Emery Paper

#400 is the softest of the Emery Paper

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#600 is the First Stage of Polishing

#800 is the Medium Stage of Polishing Paper

#1200 is the Fine Polishing Paper

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Any number # in between e.g. #400 & #600, can be created with your 'Primary (soft) Pencil' rubbings!

This different ring clamp is called "Inside Ring Holder", I prefer this over the regular ring clamps that are seen everywhere. The technique is that the inside plastic expands and holds the ring 100% secure.

There is a great ring clamp (with the brown handle) it has no clamping configuration as other wooden clamps. When you are attempting to tighten a ring, The 'inside plastic' expands from the inside and with the steel key and locks the ring tight & secure. Then your fingers won't be touching any other clamping mechanism.

In this 'second choice' of a ring clamping device, you can see just how this metal screw cuts into my fingers. I rarely use this clamp anymore!

Here is the same metal clamp, as you can see that this metal screw could literally cut into my finger over a period of time. Therefore the inside ring clamp is our answer to this better ring holding devices.

As I said before, this "flat surface pendant" can easily be secured on a 'shellac stick' and no other method is acceptable.

You can now see the image of a "Fish Eyes and the Tail".

I carved the center mini-claws with a bud-shaped bur, all I need to do now is to make the center bur cutting much wider to also have the claws from a triangular shape to now a more rounded shape.

This can be done with an assortment of different sizes of "Bud #006, or a #007 Shaped" burs, basically, you are sculpting these claw-prongs with much more accuracy.

With a #005 Bud bur, you are able to trim the beads to look more like "little posts", to push over that stone.

Just remember that all of these graver cuts were from a plain surface and all it had were a few holes in the metal. I did all of the metal-designing with the help of a few gravers and an assortment of burs. Yes, it did take me a while, but I had to think before each cut was made, and much thinking took place beforehand.

Just a few more views, keeping in mind that the many uses of a Bud-Bur cutting away any extra unwanted pieces of metal. I'm repeating myself, this is because this "Sculpting of Metal" is so very important.

I always use a Triangular file with 20cm, with a #4 cut, this is used to separate the two sections of the "VEE-tail"! Then I'll use my 2 Pumice wheels to finish the trimming in the "VEE shape" of the metal.

Remember, this design originated from a flat surface with no pattern whatsoever.

Here is a view with some stones already being set. I could use a wider #010, or a #012 Bud-shaped bur,

You can now see just how thin the cutting-face is as it's being reshaped on a "bench-grinder". Why is this graver so darned thin? It is very difficult to, and almost impossible, to move your graver if you have such a thick piece of metal in your fingers trying to execute this fantastic pattern.

By not trimming the graver thinner, (It's like having an elephant in your hands expecting it to dig a little ditch in the ground).

Do you see the large dark brown handle on the far left? As of today, this handle is ONLY 81 years old. My teacher gave this to me to keep in 1965, plus he had it for 25 years prior (circa 1940) before giving it to me.

I use this handle only for one thing and that is to use it for bead-raising, or bead-pushing. This handle rests in the 'palm of my hand' and my 4th (ring) finger rests against its "flat indentation" of that handle.

I wanted to explain that "the large brown handle" (in my inventory of handles) had just one purpose, and that was to be used for 'creating beads'. It gives me "the palm strength" to form a bead!

IF YOU FIND A HANDLE IN YOUR INVENTORY AND IT IS GREAT FOR YOUR HAND. keep it for that one purpose.

This is the completed ring that is now set with all of the different stone settings. Originally this was a flat plate of metal on this ring when I received it from my 'metal caster'. The Degree of Difficulty on this ring is about 15, out of 10!

This is a 'close-up' from the ring that was just being shown!

These are the measurements of my 'preferred gravers'. The stick holds my Polishing Paper of #800 grit (texture). That graver at the bottom of this photograph is a new setting tool that I just bought, you can see just how it needs now to be carefully shaped on my bench-grinder.

What you have been reading and viewing has a total of 52 photographs. All of these pictures were taken by myself and nothing in this essay has been plagiarized.

=> If you wish to print this essay for yourself, please do so.

=> If you have students to whom you wish to give this essay to, please do so, it'll be my honour!

=> If you have any questions or wish to learn othe Hello, my very good friends....everywhere!

This essay is on the topic of "Diamond Setting tools for a "Fish-Tail" pattern". This essay starts from a wax form and shows you what tools for you to use; when, where, why and of course how!

This essay has taken me approximately 3 weeks of writing, and more writing with many fantastic photographs.