What size of saw-blades would you use? =>5 photos

  With such a wonderful question, here are the important answers for you. Print them out and refer to them whenever you need the concise and detailed information.

 I constantly use a #4/0 saw blade for repairing claws and for (advanced) stone setting.

 I inserted this diagram again as a safety measure.

Why is a Diamond Setting apprenticeship essential? (my history) 11 photos

 In the year 1960 (65 years ago). I started my apprenticeship with a jewellery company. I learned first-hand how to use my Onglette and Flat gravers. This apprenticeship lasted for 9 LONG YEARS, with another 5 years refining the multitude of new techniques.

 In the past years, I've had telephone calls from individuals wanting to learn diamond setting. When I replied that it took me YEARS to learn, not weeks, they gasped and hung up on me.

 From my L-O-N-G apprenticeship, you can see a multitude of 8,250 photos that now appear in my extensive blog.

Anyone can place a stone in a 4-claw setting. This doesn't mean that they are a fully qualified stone setter.

 One of the most important levels of my training was to fashion a new graver. This took me 2 MONTHS to learn & not make any errors or mistakes.

"In the real world, knowledge is demanding & essential!"

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              This little paper box is as old as the date printed on it.

 This is just another exercise in metal carving.

 These two brass plates were the forerunners of my training in using an Onglette graver.

You think that cutting lines in brass is easy, you gotta try it yourself. This alloy is like 10 karat-steel. The most difficult aspect of learning to cut into this metal was not to slip. That alone took months to master.

 This example of 'cutting & stone setting' was completed towards the completion of my training.

 

 What are these 'dots' for? I still, to this day (65 years later), using my Onglette graver to learn how to 'raise beads'.

 Imagine using a graver to cut a semicircle in (hard) brass and not slipping. This was 'beyond difficult'. My hand and fingers were working as a team.

  Shortly afterwards, I advanced to gold setting, finally, eh!

 This was not a C.A.D. (Computer Aided Design). This was the 'ultimate test' that I gave myself. This was a flat piece of silver with stones to be set afterwards. 

 BTW, no one taught me how to do this (insane) metal cutting. Why? After my training, this ability was ingrained into my brain.

 The 9 years of training were extremely valuable. There isn't a book that will show how to execute such precision metal cutting.

 "In-person, one-on-one" training is the best route to take. 

This picture was taken when my teacher "Stan Levine" (of Blessed Memory) visited me in my office.

YOUR "Polishing papers" (2nd edition) 12 photos

 With the advanced level of steel gravers, we've dealt with the preliminary steps of cleaning the steel blade. Now comes the 'finishing stages' to this delicate and exacting process.

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 We will be dealing now with only the very fine paper that has a texture as smooth as silk. But I go one step further by rubbing a graphite drafting pencil across the surface of the paper.

This technique will advance the paper texture from #1,200 grit to at least #1,600+ grit. There is no cost to this improvement to the 'polishing paper'.

 You can easily see how shiny the surface of the #1,200 grade of paper is. This is simply the graphite lead being impregnated within the pores of the paper.

 After the basic cleaning of the steel graver, we are not finished, but much more work is left to be done.

 I WILL CAREFULLY RUB MY GRAVER ONLY WHERE THE PAPER HAS BEEN TOUCHED. 

 As this is an Onglette graver with a bevelled (semi-rounded) surface, it is important to gently rock the steel blade across the ultra-smooth paper. An #800 grit paper is still good, but not as smooth as a #1,000 grit paper.

Even if you have only a #1,000 grit paper, you can still achieve a 'soft surface' by rubbing the paper with the graphite pencil.

 Here is the graphite pencil being used to increase the texture of the grit.

Only where the 'rubbing took place' is where the graver should do its polishing.

 

 I never leave any graver untouched or not modified. This technique is very important in the first step of "Bright Cutting".

In this photo, you can now see where the steel blade has been used.

 I've been using this procedure constantly on all of my new graver blades. Even if the blade has been recut, I will again polish the steel where required.

 You can easily see where the fresh, new blade has been improved after the grinding has been completed.

This essay is a 'review' of earlier tutorial essays, but it's always good to review with newer photographs.

What size of burs (review) would you repair and how? => 19 photos

     The alternative name for this "HSS" bur is "High Speed Steel".

 This higher-grade of steel wears and cuts much better than the Carbide burs. That particular bur has a definitely shorter life span, as named, displaying the letter 156-"C".

 These Carbide burs cannot be modified or recut; once fully worn, they should be discarded.

Don't entertain the idea of repairing burs of this small size.

 

 The repairing location is actually quite limited. In this photo, only the 'lower section' of the girdle needs to be attended to.

This 'lower section' is where the Pavilion of the stone will eventually rest.

Only half of the bur will be modified or recut. This section is where the cutting of the claw will occur.

 This photo was taken using my 600x power digital microscope, which enables you to see the size of the teeth.

 Here is the spacing of the teeth on an HSS bur.

  This photo is of a carbide bur. The difference between the Carbide bur and the HSS bur is the close proximity of the teeth.

 After a few weeks, these teeth will eventually wear down, but they can be repaired by recutting EACH tooth. Don't expect this repairing process to occur on the carbide teeth. The reason is that the teeth are too close together, and the repair is not cost-effective.

  These 'repaired edges' of these teeth are much sharper and will cut into the metal with little effort.

 

  Repairing bur teeth on these 0.07 mm width HSS burs is so delicate that sometimes this repairing process isn't worth the effort. 

 These minuscule teeth were shaped on a machine lathe, but not by hand, hence the reason not repair them yourself.

The 'contact' area of any of these HSS burs is actually where the two angles of the teeth meet. This 'junction of angles' will be where most of the wear occurs.

      You can see just where the Separating Disk is repairing the bur teeth.

There is NO NEED TO CUT any further than what is shown here.

 When the HSS teeth have been repaired, you can then proceed and cut any claw or bezel as you wish.

These well-worn teeth are just that..badly worn!

These HSS bur teeth are in the process of being repaired! Do this 'one tooth' at a time.

Here is a comparison photo, 'before', and the lower photo is the 'after' view.

The recutting of the 'Pavilion teeth' has been completed!

What "EMERY PAPERS" prepare your gravers? => 14 photos (1st edition).

The first photo displays the initial Emery Paper that is needed to improve the quality of the 'well-used' graver.

 The most basic & underestimated 'polishing paper' at your bench is Emery Paper. It comes in many grades of texture, ranging from #800 medium grade to a coarse #240 grit. 

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 Here are three sheets of paper, composed of different grades of strength. The rough-textured paper is seen on the right, and the smoothest on the left.

 This stick is made of rigid plastic and securely holds any piece of paper in place. These emery papers can be replaced with little effort. You can use #4/0 grade of the finest, which is very soft or the coarsest of #240 grit. I approve of this'stick', as it has a long usable shelf-life, plus the graver will be best used on a hard surface.

  These eight sticks of wood, each consisting of 1 grade of polishing paper. These sticks have paper that has been heat-treated, and the paper won't come loose over time.

 When the papers get worn, all that is required is attach another layer of the same grit of paper. Each wooden stick will have another grade of paper.

 You will see that I'm not using any (insanely expensive) rotary disk to hold any paper. Each of these sticks can be purchased for $2.00 each at any local paint store.

 The main purpose of these Emery Papers is not to smooth any jewellery surfaces. On the contrary, I will demonstrate how Emery Paper will aid in preparing a graver blade for "Bright Cutting".

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 Here are my often-used 'Emery Papers', as you can see that I'm not discussing the '(smooth) Polishing Papers' at this present time. The techniques for these specific papers are quite different.

This coarse Emery Paper is just that, very coarse! You can see the granules of the paper being wrapped around the stick.

 These emery papers come in a coarser grit. I just purchased a paper without wasting my time looking for a paper that isn't always available. "Labour and availability of the selected papers" are the main ingredients of success.

The #800 grit paper is relatively smooth and much softer than the #240 grit.

 Here is my second choice of Emery Paper, but it still isn't 'rough & tough' for what we need.

 Under closer scrutiny, you can still see the granules in the paper.

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  I am only using the #240 grit paper to remove any 'rough spots' on the side of the Onglette graver.

 Once these rough-textured spots are cleaned (on both sides), I'll examine the graver point again. The smoothest papers do not remove the defects, but only enhance the need to be corrected.

 When you are running the blade over the paper, only the tip of the blade needs to be altered.

 All of these gravers have seen much use, and I'll resume the cleaning on the series of emery papers.

  I'll lay the graver flat on its side, as this is where the Bright-Cutting action will occur.

 Once the series of #240 & #400 grit paper has been completed, the next level of improvement is with the #600 paper. It is best to apply finger-pressure to both sides of the blade. You should closely examine the levels of cleaning every few moments.

 Don't allow any flat surfaces to occur, as these are not required in any Bright-Cutting. The Onglette blade has a slight curvature. This will allow Bright-Cutting to take place.

 We are on the last EMERY paper for improving the sides of the graver. I wholeheartedly suggest examining what has been done until now. The next phase of refurbishing a graver will be shown in the next essay.