Charles Lewton-Brain

Master goldsmith Charles Lewton-Brain trained, studied and worked in Germany, Canada and the United States to learn the skills he uses. Charles Lewton-Brain is one of the original creators of Ganoksin.

Contributions From Charles Lewton-Brain

Molding Alternatives for Jewelers

Molding Alternatives for Jewelers

Jewelers need to make molds of objects and parts frequently. Usually wax is poured into the molds and the results...
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Tips for Working With Drill Bits

Tips for Working With Drill Bits

Tips for working with drill bits In previous columns, I’ve explored the everyday activity of drilling, touching on drilling boards...
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Australian Ingenuity

Australian Ingenuity

Tool modifications from the land down under I just returned from Australia, where I shared foldforming and keum-boo lessons at...
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Process Oriented Metal Education

Art school is in some ways a difficult place to learn to be a metalsmith. Traditionally, it took industry from...
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How to Harden and Temper Tool Steel

How to Harden and Temper Tool Steel

Learn to harden and temper your own custom-shaped jewelry tools. By master goldsmith Charles Lewton-Brain. Filmed in full HD 1080p....
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Other Uses for a Pencil in Jewelry Making

Other Uses for a Pencil in Jewelry Making

Two surprising uses for a pencil as a tool in jewelry making. (1) Gain extreme control over the burr on...
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Make Your Own DIY Rotary Burr

Make Your Own DIY Rotary Burr

Make your own high quality rotary burr from an inexpensive disposable lighter. By master goldsmith Charles Lewton-Brain. Filmed in full...
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Make Your Own Cardboard Disc Sander

Make Your Own Cardboard Disc Sander

In this video, master goldsmith Charles Lewton-Brain will show you how to make a handy cardboard disc sander. You can...
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Method to Quickly Identify Tool Steel

Method to Quickly Identify Tool Steel

Learn how to quickly identify whether a piece of steel has the quality you need for making jewelry tools. By...
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Turning Wax on a Flex Shaft

Turning Wax on a Flex Shaft

Master goldsmith Charles Lewton-Brain shows how to turn wax, like on a lathe, but with a flex shaft instead. Filmed...
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How to Make Wax Engraving Tools

How to Make Wax Engraving Tools

Learn how to make your own wax carving tools from everyday steel construction nails. When jewelers carve wax many of...
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Foldforming Overview and Techniques

Foldforming Overview and Techniques

Master goldsmith Charles Lewton-Brain invented foldforming and demonstrates the technique in this video. Foldforming is a system of metalworking that...
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Preparing a Hammer for Foldforming

Preparing a Hammer for Foldforming

Charles Lewton-Brain often hears about the difficulties novice blacksmiths encounter when using forging hammers for foldforming. See how he solves...
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Keum-Boo

Keum-Boo

Master goldsmith Charles Lewton-Brain discusses and demonstrates how to make Keum-Boo foil and use the technique. This a method of...
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Paper Die Embossing

Paper Die Embossing

Master goldsmith Charles Lewton-Brain demonstrates a technique called "paper die" which involves compressing or cutting a stiff piece of paper...
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Patination for Small Scale Studio Use

Patination for Small Scale Studio Use

In recent years there has been an increased interest in patination and metal coloring. This may be seen as a...
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The Art of Doublée Making

The Art of Doublée Making

Historically, a wide range of techniques has been used to clad or coat silver or base metals with gold. These...
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Tips for Modifying Vises

Tips for Modifying Vises

A good vise is a vital piece of equipment for any goldsmith because it can act as a third hand,...
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Making Wooden Raising Stakes

Making Wooden Raising Stakes

This article offers a few tips on making your own wooden raising stakes instead of buying rather expensive metal ones....
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Tips and Tricks for Scoring Metal

Tips and Tricks for Scoring Metal

Scoring metal is incredibly important for custom jewelry construction. It enables you to reduce the number of parts in a...
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Thai Chaser Tool Tricks

Thai Chaser Tool Tricks

I was recently in Chiang Mai, a city in northern Thailand, where I spent a month visiting silversmiths and chasers...
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Hints on Making Tubing

Hints on Making Tubing

This article is an extract from the book 'Hinges and Hinge-Based Catches for Jewelers and Goldsmiths' Not all sizes and...
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Jewellery Career Options

One of the most interesting things about the jewellery/metals field is that there are so many career options, so many...
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Jewellery Repair

Repairing jewellery is an extremely tricky job. Work often pretends to be something else, metal is not what it is...
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Craftsmanship Improvement Method

This is a method to reduce technical problems which one repeatedly experienes. We all find during the learning process that...
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Small Bench Tools Descriptions

Small Bench Tools Descriptions

This selected list describes a number of small, easily made tools which can improve efficiency, speed and ease of working...
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Jeweler’s Shop Machines

About Anvils, Buffing Machines, Casting Machines, Drill Press Machines, Flexible Shafts, Hydraulic Press Machines, Rolling Mills and more...
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How to Make Prong Notching Pliers

How to Make Prong Notching Pliers

These pliers notch round prongs easily to a given depth and replace a bur for the job. They are made...
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Homemade Engravers Ball

Homemade Engravers Ball

There are several methods of obtaining the smooth rotation of a piece of metal necessary for engraving on it. Many...
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The Kinds of Hammers

The Kinds of Hammers

Hammers are an essential part of silversmithing and goldsmithing. While one can buy hammers ready made one can also do...
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Notes on Files for Jewelry Making

When one gets a new file one traditionally dips it in alcohol and sets fire to it to burn off...
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CAD/CAM Systems for Metals and Jewelry

If you are involved with computers you know how rapidly things are changing, prices are sinking and capabilities increasing. Computer...
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Bench Trick Guiding Principles

What is a bench trick? A shortcut? A faster way of doing something? A better method? A tool used for...
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Jewelry Rendering Tools and Projects

These pages contain a list of recommended tools to jewelry rendering, as well as a series of projects that I...
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Working Posture for Craftsmen

Many craftspeople have posture and body position problems. Ramazzini, the founder of occupational medicine and author of a groundbreaking book...
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Organize Your Workspace

How you set up your shop, your working procedures and workspace can affect your safety, comfort, stress level and efficiency...
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Dealing with Fire Scale

Fire scale or fire stain is a reddish purple toned 'bloom' or 'stain' that appears on silver/copper alloys such as...
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A Metalworking Hand Tool List For Beginners In Jewelry-Making

A Metalworking Hand Tool List For Beginners In Jewelry-Making

Making jewelry is sometimes seen as a difficult or an expensive proposition. In reality a basic metal working shop can...
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Different Types of Knuckle Hinges

Different Types of Knuckle Hinges

While this one may seem a little odd at first glance the idea has merit. Linda Chow suggests that a...
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Basic Hinge Making Technique

Basic Hinge Making Technique

It is important to pick tubing with an appropriate wall thickness and material strength for the requirements of the piece....
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Working with Jewelry Hinges Made Easy

Working with Jewelry Hinges Made Easy

Sometimes working with jewelry hinges can be too taxing. And not knowing how will make your work even harder. Here's...
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Important Principles of Casting Safety

Here's something to aim for: a well laid-out, orderly workshop, well-lit by multiple non glare light sources, well-maintained equipment, electrically...
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Frequently Used Wax Tools

Frequently Used Wax Tools

Dental probes and knives make good wax tools. Your local dentist or dental hygienist or school for the same can...
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Investment Procedure for Lost Wax Casting

Clean, fresh investment, water and investment at room temperature, de-ionized or distilled water or water that has been sitting overnight....
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How to Make a Chasing or Forming Tool

How to Make a Chasing or Forming Tool

We are assuming you are using W1 water hardening square stock drill rod, W1 tool steel. Many suppliers will sell...
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Basic Principles for Tools and Equipment

Saving some dollars on equipment can be really helpful to a shop's bottom line. Often tools and equipment from other...
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Cardboard Disc Sander Tool

A cardboard disc sander is a very useful tool. One uses the side or large flap of a fairly rigid...
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Suggested Tools from Karl Fischer

Ask for a catalog with an English supplement. Order by surface if a heavy order as shipping from Germany is...
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Polishing and Finishing Aids

Polishing and Finishing Aids

For polishing it is recommended to use primarily bristle brushes for most of the removal work and to follow up...
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Stakes and Swages Shaping Tools

Stakes and Swages Shaping Tools

Stakes are objects used for shaping metal over, on and into. Hammers or mallets are used to form the metal...
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Modifying Tools as Dapping Tools

Modifying Tools as Dapping Tools

Dapping tools are punches with a ball shaped end. As they are used to dome metal discs and making halves...
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Flexible Shaft Tricks

Flexible Shaft Tricks

A good selection of burs may be had from your dentist. Dentists often throw out burrs which still have a...
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Basic Chasing Tools

Basic Chasing Tools

As well as being used for chasing they may also be used as punches to make textures. A stamp or...
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Wire Drawing Hints

Wire Drawing Hints

The trick to drawing wire by hand is to grasp the tapered end that sticks out the front of the...
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Tubing Cutting Method

Tubing Cutting Method

A jeweller and goldsmith has to cut tubing fairly regularly. My favorite methods include: cutting only on the upstroke using...
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Soldering Hints and Tricks

Soldering Hints and Tricks

Medical hemostats and forceps make good clips for wire solder. Soldering clips for soldering work may be made from cotter...
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Goldsmithing: Pitch Options

Pitch is used all over the world by goldsmiths and silversmiths to hold metal in place while working it with...
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Hinge Pin Installation Options

Hinge Pin Installation Options

It is, however, usually best to bevel the openings of a tube slightly to give the rivet a better purchase...
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Scoring and Bending

Scoring and bending is one of the most important ways of constructing jewellery. Scoring is a method of obtaining very...
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How to Make Earring Posts by Hand

How to Make Earring Posts by Hand

Yes you can make your own earring posts. It is generally more cost effective to buy them, but making them...
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All About Jump Rings

All About Jump Rings

Jump rings may be made most easily by using a small hand drill with various sizes of mandrel. Take a...
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How to Step-Roll Wire

One requires a taper on the end of the wire to grip it with when placed through a drawplate for...
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Making Your Own Tubing

Making Your Own Tubing

Not all sizes and wall thicknesses of tube come seamless from a factory or refiner. Especially when working in gold...
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Hinges with Bearings

Hinges with Bearings

A bearing is essentially tube sections which are attached to the metal being hinged into which the hinge itself is...
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All About Hidden Hinges

All About Hidden Hinges

Hidden hinges are sometimes used on bracelets and jewelry pieces. I saw one on a Vietnamese bracelet once and have...
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Basic Tubing Catch Fabrication

Basic Tubing Catch Fabrication

First one chooses an appropriate metal for the various parts, that is a metal with appropriate structural for it's thickness...
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Cufflink Hinge Pins

Cufflink Hinge Pins

Cuff-links can work well as a plain three-part hinge. There are some basics to the construction of cuff-links. The cuff-link...
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Cast Hinges for Jewelers and Goldsmiths

Cast Hinges for Jewelers and Goldsmiths

Cast hinges are a very important part of much production jewelry work, partly because hinge assembly on such pieces is...
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Production Project Proposal

This is an example of a production project proposal involving the reproduction of two historically important buttons. This shows how...
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Basic Jewelry Construction and Soldering Principles

Basic Jewelry Construction and Soldering Principles

A short review of construction and soldering principles would be a good idea at this point. They're fairly basic. Principles...
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Methods for Applying Patination Solutions

Extremely clean metal surfaces give better results. See the article on Cleaning metal Surfaces for more information on cleaning.
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Patination Sources from the Internet

Here are some patination sources on the internet. Remember that all patinas are toxic and irritant and should not...
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Patination by Copper and Copper Alloy Fuming

Patination by Copper and Copper Alloy Fuming

Patination is a technique which has become popular for some kinds of fashion jewellery in recent years. Usually a patina...
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Using Liver of Sulfur

This is a mixture of potassium sulfides which has traditionally been used to darken or 'antique' silver and bronzes. This...
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Granulation Method

Granulation Method

Note that while there are many 'secret' recipes and granulation was 'lost' this was as far as I can tell...
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Small Scale Double Making Procedures

Double is a German word of french origin meaning rolled gold or gold fill material. I use it for the...
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Reticulation Technique and Procedure

Reticulation Technique and Procedure

Reticulation produces lovely textured surfaces that appear very 'natural' and can be controlled to produce specific patterns with practice. Used...
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Depletion Gilding Notes

This is an academic paper, not a technical 'how to' guide. Many of the procedures described are unsafe in practice....
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Keum-Boo Technique

This Korean technique for applying 24k gold to silver is in fact widely used in various cultures; Japanese, Chinese and...
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Cupric Nitrate Patination of Metals

This patination solution gives you a range of greens, olives, browns, black, turquoise and yellow-greens on many metals because it...
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Process of Cleaning Metal Surfaces

For all metal coloring and electroplating a clean metal surface is essential. The cleaning process must remove mineral oils, organic...
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Brief Notes on Shakudo

As with most Japanese metal coloring methods the techniques are metallurgically based rather than solution oriented; in the West we...
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A Method of Steel Patination

As part of a large scale patination project in which I patinated a steel roof surface 24 by 48 feet...
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How to Do Paper Die Embossing

How to Do Paper Die Embossing

The annealed metal is placed in a sandwich between soft 'pusher' paper and a hard paper which will serve as...
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Pinback Placement Hints

It is customary to place the joint at the right of the back of the pin and the catch on...
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Optical Effects in Gemstones

Optical Effects in Gemstones

This list introduces some of the terms used in discussing optical effects in gemstones.
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Make Your Own Polariscope

Make Your Own Polariscope

Polariscopes are a very useful, simple and inexpensive to make piece of gemological equipment. They are used to tell glass...
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Specific Gravity of Gemstones

Specific Gravity of Gemstones

Archimedes is said to have discovered that when a body is placed in water the volume of water displaced is...
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Gemstone Fluorescence

Fluorescence is the emission of visible light from a substance under the stimulation of radiation of a shorter wavelength. It...
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Minerals and Crystals Systems

Minerals and Crystals Systems

A Mineral may be defined as a homogenous substance produced by the processes of inorganic nature having a chemical composition...
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Gem Microscope Considerations

Gem Microscope Considerations

This short paper discusses some of the things to think about when considering obtaining a microscope to use for gemology....
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Definitions of Physical Properties of Gemstones

A perfect crystal is bounded by plane faces which meet at angles specific for each kind of material (angle analysis...
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Basic Optical Principles for Gemology

Basic Optical Principles for Gemology

The optical characteristics and properties of gemstones often provide the fastest and best methods of identification. A certain amount of...
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Lighting for Jewelry and Small Object Photography

Lighting for Jewelry and Small Object Photography

The kind of lights and lighting, especially lighting for jewelry, that I recommend for our drop shadow system are photofloods...
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The Origins of Fold Forming

In 1979 and 80 I went to study at the Fachhochschule für Gestaltung in Pforzheim West Germany at the suggestion...
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Basic Bead Setting Techniques

Basic Bead Setting Techniques

First the stone's diameter is measured at the pavillion and a dent is made in the metal for the pilot...
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Basic Gypsy or Flush Mount Setting

Basic Gypsy or Flush Mount Setting

First the stone's diameter is measured at the pavillion and a dent is made in metal for the pilot drill...
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Tube Setting Method

Tube Setting Method

Tube setting is a simple method of setting that can take as little as five minutes or less per setting...
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Engraved Bezel with Vertical Walls

Engraved Bezel with Vertical Walls

Stonesetting has been a part of goldsmithing for as long as people have worked in precious metals. Perhaps the oldest...
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Book Review – Designing Jewelry

Book Review – Designing Jewelry

Boy these people are really good at what they do. I’d love to watch them drawing sometime. Like their previous...
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Book Review – The Art of Jewelry Design

Book Review – The Art of Jewelry Design

Do you like sumptuous drawings and colored renderings of gemstones and fine jewelry? Interested in basic design principles for commercial...
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The Best Jewelry Books: A Comprehensive Reading List For Craftspeople

A selected bibliography list for the jeweler - Metal working, Casting, Plating, Enamelling ,Gem Cutting, Setting, Engraving and Etching, Other...
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Getting the Most Out of Trade Shows

MJSA's Mary Walek asked me to do a session called "Shop the Show" in New York. When I first read...
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Resume Preparation for Gallery Presentation

The first questions to ask yourself when preparing a resume are: For whom is it intended? What do I want...
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North American Sources for Equipment, Materials, etc.

This page offers a list of some useful North American Sources for Equipment, Materials, information, etc that would be very...
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Confidential Disclosure Form

This form may be used if you have an idea for a product and wish to approach a manufacturer. It...
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PR Marketing Tools to Have

The point is to survive and prosper as an artist or craftsperson. This means that one has to deal with...
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Depth of Field in Photography

Depth of field refers to the amount of the object that is in focus (the depth that is in focus)....
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Photography Considerations

Photography Considerations

Three - dimensional objects will be well served by the methods described before, such as overhead diffuse lighting, fill card...
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Tips on Working with 35mm Slides

Tips on Working with 35mm Slides

A note on slide developing: you want your slides to be developed for the best quality possi¬ble. If you want...
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Reflective Objects Photography

Reflective Objects Photography

Reflective surfaces are a special case. I remember seeing an Art in America magazine once, and on the cover was...
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Jewelry Photography Film Types

The film that I’m going to recommend, and that I use myself, is 64 ISO Tungsten Ecktachrome film. It only...
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Small Objects Photography Check Lists

These are some check lists to use when preparing to phtograph objects.
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Photography Setup Options

Photography Setup Options

The use of 'Plexiglas L's' is an extremely effective small scale lighting system. You take white, translucent Plexiglas, and you...
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Basic Setup for Jewelry Photography

Basic Setup for Jewelry Photography

A vertical copy stand is sometimes used for shooting prints, drawings, jewelry and other fairly flat objects. A copy stand...
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Holding Objects for Photography

Holding Objects for Photography

If an object will sit by itself on the shooting surface this is not a problem but often it needs...
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Considerations in Image Creation in Photography

Considerations in Image Creation in Photography

Now we're going to start talking about taking the picture - actually getting closer to taking the image. There's a...
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Photographic Equipment for Jewelry and Small Objects

Photographic Equipment for Jewelry and Small Objects

We are assuming you have a 35 mm camera. You will need a ‘single lens reflex’ (SLR) camera with a...
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Jewelery Workshop Ventilation

Ventilation means removing noxious materials, dusts and fumes from where you can breathe them in. It is about taking away...
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Basic Safety Principles for Jewelers

Aim for: a well laid-out, orderly workshop, well-lit by multiple non glare light sources, well-maintained equipment, electrically and fire safe,...
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Metals Safety Information

Goldsmiths work with metals. Our bodies react to metals, their dusts, salts and oxides. The metals that jewelers come in...
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Chemical Inventory and Profiles

If you know what the chemicals are that you use and what their dangers are you will be less likely...
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Studio Safety Evaluation

Studio Safety Evaluation

Just as a professional would do, it may be a good idea to conduct a walk-through of your shop. The...
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Safety Procedure Evaluation

Safety Procedure Evaluation

When looking at your shop and workspace and considering safety issues it is important to evaluate the procedures you use...
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Basic Chemical Storage Principles

There are a number of basic principles in storing chemicals. Know what your chemicals are, what their hazards are, their....
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Rules for Tools

While it is clearly impossible to give a set of rules for each tool and procedure that goldsmiths use, this...
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Grinding Wheel Safety Rules

Besides the safety instructions that you get from a tool manufacturer in the tool manual it may be necessary for...
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Gas Handling Guidelines

Jewelers work with compressed gases of all kinds, in torch systems, kilns, casting machines, abrasive blasters, laser welding machines needing...
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Electroplating Safety Precautions

The "General Safety Rules for Tools" article applies here too, as with all power tools. Read the instruction manuals and...
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Jewelry Workshop Safety Report

This talk briefly reviews issues of studio safety and discusses ways of recognizing risks in the studio and reducing hazard...
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Book Review – The New Jewelry

Book Review – The New Jewelry

Well, this is a book I have to have in my collection. I recommend it for yours. As a contemporary...
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Book Review – One of a Kind

Book Review – One of a Kind

If you like art jewelry, innovative work, future jewelry directions and opening up new markets for the jewelry industry you...
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Book Review – Gem Care

Book Review – Gem Care

This slim paperback book is a real addition to the book collections of the working jeweler, the jewelry shop owner,...
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Book Review – Collecting Rhinestone & Colored Stone Jewelry

Book Review – Collecting Rhinestone & Colored Stone Jewelry

This book by Maryanne Dolan is in its third edition and is clearly a required text for those interested in...
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Dermatitis and the Jeweler

Dermatitis is a group of skin conditions that may often be contracted by exposure to chemicals and metals. These may...
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Modes of Working with Jewelry

This short paper offers a set of names to describe how the jewellery metals field is made up in terms...
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Basic Fire Safety for Jewelers

Have a fire plan; ask your fire department for advice. Keep the appropriate extinguishers around and in good shape. Get...
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Patinating Brass Alloys Using Contact Plating

This procedure should be undertaken with appropriate precautions; goggles, gloves, protective clothing, adequate ventilation. Recently I have been presented with...
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Structuring for Efficiency in the Studio

Being more organized, and planning how you use your time will mean that you will spend less time on some...
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Gloves and the Jeweler

Gloves are used to prevent skin contact with a hazard, whether physical (like a razor edge on a piece of...
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The Teachers’ Role

I believe the teacher's role is as a guide, an instigator, a devils advocate as well as instructor. A teacher...
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Jewellers’ Objective Attitude Towards Designing

It is sometimes useful to have criticism of one's work in order to develop it. While studying as an apprentice...
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Dusts in the Jewelry Workshop

Dust is small particles of a material. There are dusts you can see in the air; these can be breathed...
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Noise and its Effects

Noise is so common that we don't tend to think of it in terms of exposure in the same way...
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Learning Metalsmithing Process

An art school is in some ways a difficult place to learn to be a metalsmith. Traditional systems of industry...
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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, other RSIs and the Jeweler

Carpal tunnel syndrome is only one of many kinds of repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) and cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs). RSI,...
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How Jewelers Approach Work Materials

How Jewelers Approach Work Materials

This diagram shows how jewelers approach working in the field in terms of how they relate to the material. The...
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Safety Issues and Litigation

After writing my recent safety book something unexpected happened. I had a number of calls from lawyers about safety issues....
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Sample Consignment Agreement Contract

The following is Consignment Agreement contract. It is intended for information purposes only although if you wish to use it...
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Separating Work and Home

Often craftspeople start out making craft objects in their living space, a kitchen, a living room, and sometimes continue working...
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Studio Lighting Considerations

How you light your shop, illuminate your working area, experience the reflection from surfaces and the paint you choose for...
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Tweezers Tips and Tricks

Tweezers Tips and Tricks

Tweezers are a constant in a jeweler's life, particularly in these safety conscious times. Tweezer use can help reduce your...
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Gem-Setting Tools: A Practical Guide To All The Hand Tools & Bench Supplies You’ll Need

This article lists the basic tools someone learning stonesetting might want to have around. One would of course add to...
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Goldsmith Kit Basic Tools

This article lists the basic tools found in a standard Western Goldsmith's toolbox.
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Organize Your Bench

The next time you sit down at your bench, don't think of it as just a bench. Think of it...
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Tips for Creating Jump Rings

Tips for Creating Jump Rings

Jewelers use jump rings extensively as chain components, connectors, and linking devices for multiple construction problems. Here are a few...
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Methods of Closing Jump Rings

In high volume production operations, many jump rings need to be closed one after another. For such fast paced operations,...
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Cutting Jump Rings

Cutting Jump Rings

Once you've wound jump rings around a mandrel, what's the best way to cut them apart? Some craftspeople use hand-held...
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Steps on Making a Rolled Fold Heistad Cup

Steps on Making a Rolled Fold Heistad Cup

Rolled folds are folds which utilize the rolling mill and it's unique properties of equal, directional pressure on the plastic...
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Tips for Repairing Pearl Jewelry

Tips for Repairing Pearl Jewelry

When taking in a piece of pearl jewelry for repair, it may be necessary to remove the pearl to avoid...
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Steps on Making a Basic T-fold

Steps on Making a Basic T-fold

This article describes the steps to making a basic T-fold, one of the main categories of fold-forming. Numerous variations are...
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Solder Flow Retardant Notes

While goldsmiths normally strive to have their solder flow easily, there are times you don't want it to flow, such...
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DIY Metal Shaping Tools: How To Make Your Own Jewelry Hammers Or Mallets

DIY Metal Shaping Tools: How To Make Your Own Jewelry Hammers Or Mallets

Jewelers spend hours fixing damage that they themselves did to the metal. Soft hammers and shaping tools limit the injuries...
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The Ganoksin and Orchid Community Story

The Ganoksin and Orchid Community Story

This talk was the part of a speech about the history of the Ganoksin Project Website and its growth. The...
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Polishing Tools and Tricks

Polishing Tools and Tricks

The mantra of polishing jewelry is the shinier the better - and obtaining polishing perfection takes skill and practice. It...
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Soldering Parts Using Pourable Soldering Jig

Soldering Parts Using Pourable Soldering Jig

There is a great way of doing very complex and repeated solderings in one go. This very important method uses...
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Practical Wax Modeling Techniques

Practical Wax Modeling Techniques

To begin with I highly recommend this book of technical information and procedures for anyone wanting to learn wax modelling...
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Book Review – Lapidary Carving for Creative Jewelry

Book Review – Lapidary Carving for Creative Jewelry

This book is an expert and concise introduction to the world of carving gem materials. You could actually do it...
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Art vs Craft

The Art versus Craft issue is a complex question and one that has bedeviled creators a great deal in the...
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Protecting Gems While Soldering

Protecting Gems While Soldering

Repair jewelers are frequently called upon to solder close in to a set gemstone. Besides the normal dangers of heating...
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Turning Burrs Into Stonesetting Tools

Turning Burrs Into Stonesetting Tools

Stonesetters frequently convert and and reuse tools intended for other purposes. Often when a tool is needed they will cast...
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Steps on Making a Chased Wedge T-fold

Steps on Making a Chased Wedge T-fold

This article describes the steps to making a chased wedge T-fold. To begin with a loop is made from a...
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Safety Notes for Jewelers on Pitch, Chasing and Repousse

An ancient system of working metals, this procedure uses steel punches to manipulate the metal while it is fixed onto...
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How to Modify Tools for Carving Wax

How to Modify Tools for Carving Wax

Casting is the most important method of commercial jewelry production. Even for small workshops, lost-wax casting is often the fastest...
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Patination Safety Considerations

Jewelers use so-called -oxidising- solutions to darken metals like silver, copper, brass, nickel silver, bronze and, with specialized mixtures, on...
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Steps on Making a T-Fold with Table Insert

Steps on Making a T-Fold with Table Insert

This page describes the steps to using a table insert in a T-fold. A table insert is an object, or...
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Pitch Bowls and Alternatives for Jewelers

Pitch Bowls and Alternatives for Jewelers

Chasing and repousse is carried out on various surfaces using steel punches to strike and manipulate sheet metal or cast...
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Steps on Making a T-Fold Boat Fold

Steps on Making a T-Fold Boat Fold

The boat fold branch of T-folds is an interesting avenue. It permits you to have a curving, concave table, and...
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Enameling Safety Issues You Should Know About

Enameling involves the firing and melting of suitable glasses onto and into metals for decorative effects. It is done at...
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Lapidary Work Safety Precautions

Goldsmiths sometimes do a little rough and ready lapidary work with emery and leather sticks or even polishing compounds on...
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Book Review – The New Clay

Book Review – The New Clay

The New Clay is a serious and readable text offering polyform clays as a material for unique and production jewelry...
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Hydraulic Press Safety Precautions

Goldsmiths began to use hydraulic presses in small shops in the 1940s in North America. Factories have used hydraulic presses...
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Book Review – Fabergé and His Works

Book Review – Fabergé and His Works

ver read an annotated bibliography? Its not normally thought of as exciting reading by non-researchers. But if you are interested...
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The Jewelers and Asbestos

Asbestos is a real problem for jewelers. When I was first a student in 1974, we had a bucket of...
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Sand Casting Safety Notes

Sand casting is used extensively for large-scale casting, such as engine blocks, and the grates that one sees around trees...
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Gold of Africa: Jewellery and Ornaments from Ghana

Gold of Africa: Jewellery and Ornaments from Ghana

Now this is a truly attractive book. One of those coffee table type books dripping with gorgeous National Geographic quality...
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Steps on Making a Plunkett Fold

Steps on Making a Plunkett Fold

One of the most intriguing, and fastest ways to make fold-forms are in the Rolled fold part of the system....
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Drilling Tips and Techniques

Drilling Tips and Techniques

We all drill, all the time. We take drills and what they do for granted, but reviewing the obvious doesnt...
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Goldsmithing in the Future

This article is a set of predictions for what the jewelers bench and workshop will experience in technological change in...
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Cool Hunting in the Jewelry World

One of my roles for the last few years has been that of an innovation awards judge for MJSA. This...
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Pickling Notes

Jewelers treat soldered objects with dilute acid solutions to remove oxides produced from heating and soldering as well as glassy...
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Jeweler’s Workday: Sitting and Looking at the Bench

In the Jewelers Bench Book, the MJSA/Ganoksin project published in spring 2008, there is an extensive look at what happens...
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Fold Forming Tool List

Fold Forming Tool List

These are the jewelry-making tools you'll need for fold forming.
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105 Jewelers Bench Comments

105 Jewelers Bench Comments

In late 2006 I put together a survey on the Jewelers bench to which many Orchidians and others responded. There...
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Organize Bench Workflow with Trays

Organize Bench Workflow with Trays

There are numerous mass production processes that bench jewelers can adapt and use to streamline their studio jewelry work. One...
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Scoring and Bending Procedures

Scoring and Bending Procedures

Silicon carbide separating discs are superb for scoring metal for bending, particularly when the metal sheet is less than 4...
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Hammering and Forging Safety Guidelines

Goldsmiths and silversmiths use hammers frequently in their work, silversmiths especially. A regular trade goldsmith might use a bench hammer...
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Methods to Effectively Bend Tubing

Methods to Effectively Bend Tubing

Jewelers need to bend tubing for various constructions, including neckpieces, earrings, catches, and cuff links. Normally, precious metal tubes are...
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Book Review – Delightful Beaded Earring Designs

Book Review – Delightful Beaded Earring Designs

This small paperback book is written and illustrated by Jan Radford. At 8.95 it is an affordable introduction to 'Indian'...
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Creative Uses for Duct Tape at the Bench

Creative Uses for Duct Tape at the Bench

Ask any bench jeweler the best way to secure a band-aid to his or her cut finger during a day...
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Steps on Making a Leaf or Ruffle

Steps on Making a Leaf or Ruffle

This fold is an example of forging on the open side, and introduces how to use hardness dams in foldforming....
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The Different Kinds of Line-Folds

The Different Kinds of Line-Folds

Line-folds offer a large area of exploration. In addition to the use of line-folds by themselves, it is valuable to...
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How to Make a Riffle File

How to Make a Riffle File

Every now and then when you are fabricating a piece or polishing a casting, a hole or hollow will pop...
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How to Make a Heistad Cup

How to Make a Heistad Cup

Fold-forming is a hand-working technique applied to single sheets of metal to create surfaces and three-dimensional forms quickly without soldering....
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Steps on Making a Basic Wedge T-fold

Steps on Making a Basic Wedge T-fold

This page describes the steps to making a basic wedge T-fold
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Book Review – Classic Earring Designs

Book Review – Classic Earring Designs

This small paperback book is written and illustrated by Nola May. At $9.95 it is an affordable introduction to 'Indian'...
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Jewelry Making Study Sheet

Jewelry Making Study Sheet

Jewelry making is a big job. That is that there is a lot to know and a lot to learn....
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Resists and Electroplating to Create Patterns

Resists and Electroplating to Create Patterns

With the ever-higher cost of precious metals, many jewelers are increasingly working with non-precious metals such as stainless steel, titanium,...
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