[Jewelry making - Article 00719] - Re: [Orchid] Copper, Steel or Brass stone pusher?

[Jewelryartschool]

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    I use all of these (copper, brass, & steel) plus sterling and fine
    silver pushers made from 6 or 8 ga. square stock. 

    To prevent the slippage problem that Gerry mentions, simply put the
    working end of the pusher on piece of used 180, 220 or 320 wet or
    dry sandpaper, on top of a steel bench block. GENTLY tap the handle
    end with a plastic or rawhide mallet. The coarser the paper the
    rougher the end of the pusher will be. It can be just a slightly
    matted finish and be 200% safer to work with around delicate stones.
    As you observe it getting slick again, just make another trip to the
    paper & block. 

    You must make your steel pusher out of softer stainless or mild
    steel. Remove and anneal tool steel for this method to work on them.

    Dunno why, but all of the commercial pushers seem to be made of
    hardened tool steel, with an almost polished face... sure, they
    never deform, but how many times do you slip? 

    Another method to stop slippage is find a very fine checkering file
    at a gunsmith's supply, and file the working face of the pusher with
    that. It puts tiny muliple lines in with each stroke. Make a pass or
    two in one direction, then one or two 90 degrees to that. 

    Using these softer pushers will lead to deforming the working end
    and mushrooming, but I would much rather discipline it with a couple
    strokes of a flat file... than pay for replacing the clients (or my)
    stone. 

Brian Marshall
Stockton Jewelry Arts



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