Surface Manipulation

We asked a number of top jewelers to tell us their best practices, techniques, and tips for creating satin, brushed,...

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

Platinum takes more effort to polish, for the simple reason that it does not wear as other precious metals do...

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

Metalsmiths and enamelists have used ferric chloride for several years as a safer alternative to nitric acid for copper and...

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

This is the basic recipe for the iridescent patina. This patina is most effective on highly textured pieces, such as...

The surface of metals may be colored, a patina added either chemically or with heat. Patinas are generally achieved by...

Over the years, bad habits creep into our work procedures. Periodical review of our techniques is needed to assure us...

Many jewelers see polishing as a mundane task. However, it is one of the most important operations in the process...

Jewelers use so-called -oxidising- solutions to darken metals like silver, copper, brass, nickel silver, bronze and, with specialized mixtures, on...

This method of etching uses a prepared ferric chloride solution which also contains hydrochloric acid. This 'etchant' is not a...

True damascus steel is made by a casting process utilizing very high carbon steel. The material is held at or...

When you've made the decision to learn hand engraving, you have basically 3 options: Spend little or no money but...

Japanese artists have contributed significantly by using their unique alloys in innovative combinations. Perhaps the best example of this is...

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

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

In the twentieth century there can be little doubt that electroplating is the best way to develop a gold coating...

When burnishing very detailed pieces, use stainless pins in your mixed shot. Don’t use them any other time because the...

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

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

The size of the bath must correspond to the rectifier. You cannot have a huge bath and a small rectifier....

The rich history of Japanese patinas is the result of hundreds of years of experimentation, innovation and tradition. This article...

The best 'Sneaky Goldsmith Tricks' involve taking mundane, everyday items and repurposing them as goldsmith's tools. Two classic tricks that...

Opinions differ considerably when discussing the ease or difficulty of polishing platinum, but most agree that when a piece is...

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

Our castings can be flawless, our assembly precise, and our settings secure -- but let any surface go a bit...

This paper describes a process that combines techniques researched by others with a few well known facts about the properties...

This article is based on technical information taken from my personal notes and experiences, shared information from the Penland Anodizing...

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

Michael Rowe uses functional containers as a base from which to explore formal studies of space, form and balance, which...

Last fall, the National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis, Tennessee hosted a retrospective of the work of Helen Shirk. Nearly...

The first time I saw a machine for pumice finishing and brass wire brushing was at the School for American...

Every bench jeweler has experienced the frustration of trying to sand and polish a nearly inaccessible area on a piece...

The expressions which have come to identify the pre- and post-World War II generations - Me decade, suburban frontiersmen, spoiled...

This procedure should be undertaken with appropriate precautions; goggles, gloves, protective clothing, adequate ventilation. Recently I have been presented with...

"Culture of materials," an expression originating from the early 20th-century teaching of Russian Constructivist Vladimir Tatlin, defines the artist's deliberate...

A bench jeweler typically uses a split mandrel to sand and finish the inside of a ring. Various grits of...

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

The word "technology" is defined as the totality of the means employed to provide the objects necessary for sustenance and...

Jurgen J Maerz of the Platinum Guild International USA outlines factors to consider when adding platinum to your line of...

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

Preparation for writing this piece began, I guess, when I was six or seven years old. At that age, my...

Gorham Company was 45 years old when its 2,000-ounce "Century Vase" celebrating the nation's centennial won great acclaim at the...

As part of a large scale patination project in which I patinated a steel roof surface 24 by 48 feet...

In the last issue I wrote about safety issues concerning polishing platinum. In this issue we will continue the discussion...

Here are some patination sources on the internet. Remember that all patinas are toxic and irritant and should not...

About five years ago, Robert Fairbank, John Reynolds and I created a "living entity" called Goldsmiths 3 in Concord, Massachusetts....

This article is one of a series of articles from Metalsmith Magazine "Art and Technics" talking about techniques in craftsmanship...