[Jewelry making - Article 00054] - Re: [Orchid] Enameling Repair

[Deborah Miller]

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    Hi David - I have occasionally repaired enamel but it is the sort of
    thing that most enamellists run a mile from as it can be fraught
    with difficulties. However, it sounds as if the repairs you are
    talking about are the tops from perfume bottles and the like where
    the enamel piece has been set like a stone. If this is the case then
    they can be renewed by unsetting the enamel. To remove all the
    enamel I use Matting Salts. Have no idea what the chemical formula
    is, but it will slowly etch the glass away over a period of 3-7 days
    leaving the metal completely clean. (For faster removal one can use
    hydrofluoric acid but it is really evil stuff & personally I won't
    keep it in my studio.) Trying to repair part of the enamel is
    extremely difficult as it is virtually impossible to get an exact
    colour match. If the enamel just has hairline cracks you could try
    just reheating it to see if they close up. Hope this helps. 

Deborah Miller
www.djm-jewellery.co.uk

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