[Jewelry making - Article 00071] - Re: [Orchid] Resurrecting old pearls

[Helen Hill]

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    Thanks for your email, but unfortunately I can't let it go. My in-
    laws are VERY, VERY pushy and I've already committed to it. There
    are sadly, none left to do anything with. I cleaned them by putting
    them in a container of hot soapy water and every bit of paint just
    floated up to the top. That's how fragile the coating was!!! So at
    the moment, all I have is a jar of clear glass beads - but clean
    glass beads. 

>     The spray painting will, IMHO, be a disaster. If the coatings are
>     thick enough to cover, a meniscus will form between the beads,
>     making a mess of the strand. 

    I don't think this will be the case, because I'm going to knot them
    onto cotton (which is flexile) with gaps in between all the beads so
    that they will be easily removed afterwards. My husband and I
    renovated an old motorbike back in the day when we were bikers and
    we got a fair bit of experience priming and spraying the panels.
    That's why the auto paint idea popped into my head, having done it
    before. I've had a few suggestions from people about using nail
    polish, but a) when I wear nail polish, it starts to chip after two
    days - it's just not durable enough, b) I've got too many beads to
    hand paint with a brush - apart from the fact that brush painting
    always gives a rougher finish than spray painting, and d) IMO auto
    paint is far more durable as it has to hold up to the elements and
    you can't scratch a car with your fingernail, but you can chip nail
    polish that way, so if the painting is successful, my M-I-L will be
    able to wear the necklace for many years to come, without the paint
    chipping off (it will be painting over etching primer which will
    ensure that the paint sticks to the glass). Auto paint also comes in
    every possible colour and can be dissolved in the paint thinner we
    bought for auto paint. 

    As for the owner not knowing what is involved. You're absolutely
    right. She has NO idea whatsoever. She envisages me threading a
    needle and restringing them. That's why I've started a journal, with
    a step by step commentary on the whole project, with photographs
    along the way. That way she will know exactly what was involved and
    hopefully appreciate it a little more. I'm also hoping that because
    of the journal, they will think twice before asking me to fix the
    next piece of worthless paste costume jewellery - or that they will
    actually offer to pay me. I'm rather hoping it's the former
    suggestion! 

    I plan to make a new clasp for it out of silver as the old base
    metal clasp has seen better days. It's a project. It's experience and
    I'll learn from it, just as I learn from everything else I attempt.
    If it works really well, the auto paint solution may be something
    that others may want to try if they are faced with a similar job on
    faux pearls so I'll report back to the group. I may well turn the
    journal into a blog too. 

    Many thanks for the advice though and I do wish I was able to turn
    it down. 

Helen
UK
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