Credit Given: I learned this from my teacher, Brad Smith at Venice Community Adult School (soon to be Venice Skills Center)…the technique was further explained by my friend Ruth Shapiro (Artisan and Judaica Designer – http://growingupjewish.com ) at the 2008 Demo Day held by Metal Artists Society of So. Calif. (MASSC – http://www.massconline.com ).
The following question has come up several times on forums:
May I ask what files or tools do you use to file the edges inside the piercings so smooth?
If you want a great trick to get into tiny piercings…
Take a sheet of sand paper (choose appropriate grit for your piece)
Turn it grit side down on the table
Cover the back of it with strips of packing tape (the kind with the nylon threads running through it)
Cut strips as thin as you need them to be to fit inside the piercing you are working on.
These strips can be used to thread thru the piercings and, if you have a vise, hold on each end – use a sawing motion to sand.If you don’t have a vise to hold your piece then you can thread the strip thru your piece and actually load the strip into your jewelers saw – voila – you have a hand free to hold your piece!
Photos Courtesy of Yolanda Lumel’s Camera Phone with the permission of Judy Bapties (isn’t that a great bracelet?)! Thanks Lulu and Judy!
Robyn Hawk
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Love it! I have cut down my sand paper but never backed it and I think this will make the paper last longer!
Great trick! My students are always wanting to get into spaces smaller than our standard needle files allow- We will try this for sure-thanks! GAIL
What a great tip! Thanks for sharing this, Robin!! I’m bookmarking this for future reference.
And that IS a great bracelet!