REVIEW: What is a "Bead-Burnisher" & why is it used? - 28 photos

The outside edge of a Bead-Burnisher is basically a 3/32" inch steel rod with a round-shaped depression on the very tip. This 'tip' fits right onto the bead and then makes it soft to the touch. 

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All of my 'setting tools' must be kept in 100% (pristine) condition. In this photo, I'm modifying and rounding the outside of the Bead-Burnisher on my oil-stone.

 This is what an actual Bead-Burnisher looks like under my 10x power loupe. I have 3-4 sizes at my disposal at all times.

    If the need arises I will pick and choose which size of burnisher that I will use.

 The little flange on the right is only for when the burnisher will touch the soft stone. I will then lean the steel burnisher at a 45-degree angle away from that soft stone.

 

  Under no circumstances will I use a small burnisher on a large bead, why not? The burnisher will leave a flange (rim) of metal around the edge of the new bead.

  For beads that are quite large, I suggest a Bead-Burnisher that will fully cover the bead. This way it will look like a mini-claw.

  I used a Burnisher before setting of the stones. As when I start the Bead-Raising the new beads are well shaped and above all, 'strong like steel'.

  Sometimes I will burnish the unset beads as when I'm setting Emeralds, extra care is always warranted.

 On this plate of diamonds, I wanted to exercise much Pave' setting without damaging the two beads. These beads are now rounded into shape but as well given more strength.

Now I can do my Bead-Setting and Bright-Cutting without worrying about losing a bead.  

 In burnishing these multi-beads, all that is remaining is to drill open the holes and set the stone. There is no danger now of ruining the Pave' setting.

 In this photo, the Bright-Cutting has been completed then all that is remaining is to set the Triangular RED stone. The beads have even been burnished ahead of time.

 

 (These photos are out of sequence, so sorry!)

  I can now contemplate setting these Emerald stones. Bead-Setting Emeralds is quite a delicate process.

  

 All 12 Emeralds had the beads burnished GENTLY. The cutting was done long before any stone went into the plate.

   Although this was a partial CAD creation, it still needed to have the mini-beads thoroughly burnished.

 I burnished all of the 36 beads before any Pave' cutting was done, why? As I mentioned, this process gives the beads more 'strength' during the metal-cutting process. 

 In this photo, I used an extra-large Bead Burnisher but also a flange to allow the steel rod to fit over the stone facets.

   This 'strip of silver' is using the smallest burnisher to round off the beads.

  Even on the end of the row of holes 'decoration beads', I used my Burnisher to smooth these mini-beads. Then all of the beads will be rounded after the setting of the stones.

REVIEW: Select the correct size of bead burnisher BEFORE any work that needs to be done.

  

  I have 3 or 4 sizes of burnishers in my inventory and each one has been shaped correctly.

  Many times I will as I wrote before, I will pre-cut the metal so as not to damage any stones. Then the Bead Burnishing process starts.

    Once the stones have been Pave' set, the burnishing of the beads will then commence.

 As this is the last of the photos in this essay we've covered many aspects of Bead-Burnishing, This is quite a detailed exploration of using your Bead Burnisher, hoping that you learned a few details.