4-Claw Cleaning & Setting - 8 photos

 I don't profess to be a 'bench jeweller', only a Diamond Setter with over 6 DECADES of  Diamond Setting experience. I've seen some fantastic as well as mediocre gemstone settings.

 From these years of working, I've seen many errors in my days.   I'm not telling you how to set stones but I'm only 'guiding' you to improve your setting skills.

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  In my previous tutorial essays, I mentioned using a Pumice Wheel to remove the remnants of metal. If you wish to use a 'MEDIUM'  grit Emery wheel to do this cleaning, the final choice is yours.

When you prepare to cut a groove into the 4 claws..STOP! The reason is that the '156 HSS' cutting bur will run amok around the claw. I'm sure that you've seen this before and this can be easily avoided, but how?

 Obtain a small bud-shaped bur and make a groove where the bearing cutter will be used. This bur cutting should be at least 25% from the top of each claw.

With the "156, High-Speed Steel" bur you can very nicely cut into the claw where your bud-bur was used. 

Therefore, there will be no more ruining of claws as there might have been in our past stone setting.

 This stone is very CROOKED, just examine the "Culet (Point) Facet" in relationship to the pattern of the basket. 

 There are 'two faint lines' etched on the brass ring clamp. These two lines act as my GPS in locating where the Culet of the stone should be positioned. (The Culet is not in the centre of the ring).

 Anything you do to enable you to succeed better in setting a diamond, do it!

 It is my estimation that these claws are not equally spaced, do you agree? You can now see where the Culet is positioned, great idea?

 Try to avoid using a file in cleaning the claws after a major stone-setting exercise. I use primarily Pumice Wheels of #240 grit to do the final cleaning.

 I will use a file of #4 cut to create equal-shaped claws, you may also use a "77B, Cup Shaped" bur as an other option.