tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-211830662024-02-07T21:15:28.065-08:00The Art of SmithingDay in the life of a Silversmith and Goldsmith.
Creating one of a kind Gold and Silver Objects.
Restoring and Conserving Antique Silver and Objects.Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-81374579540460091162014-08-16T13:01:00.000-07:002014-08-16T13:01:26.607-07:0023 sterling silver belt buckles hand wrought
CEO commissioned 23 Belt-buckle for his board and managers.
Hand pieced and Hand-wrought.
Logo on hammered belt buckle.
Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-29098516722807833992013-08-04T11:03:00.000-07:002013-08-04T11:03:23.679-07:00
Coffee pot needed work after a bad happening. How? I annealed many times. I was looking for any cracking while moving metal, especially around fold in body. I lucked out and did not have any crack. I did how every have 4 pin holes in the chasing. All and all I am pleased it actually worked with no cracking.Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-43558155945952567312013-04-15T22:10:00.000-07:002013-04-15T22:10:47.711-07:00I have not posted in several months. The reason is the privacy policy I have with some of my clients. Museum and Private Collectors to not show what I have restored or conserved for them. I have been busy with many restoration projects and remaking of old jewelry into new jewelry for clients. My new business of Argentum and the Leopard's Head has been exciting for my customers who have consigned Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-62693575537513837362013-04-15T21:51:00.000-07:002013-04-15T21:51:59.956-07:00
Rare Vanderslice Cruet Set. It is a mechanically well crafted. It has a long tube that goes down the center which also serves as the connection to the handle to pick up the set. There are two parts on the base, one the stand and the other the plate the crystal sits upon. There is a cylinder that fits into another cylinder between the two discs that make up the base Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-67889848641898355282013-01-01T13:23:00.001-08:002013-01-01T13:23:41.832-08:00
I started with 18 gauge sheet silver, 12 inches by 17 inches. I used sandbag and steel stakes and hammers to make this piece. My hands were part of the moving. I often bend the metal with my hands or by stepping on it, if it is too hard to move by hand. I love the curves of sea shells and waves. Sometimes I draw with pencil and paper before I start, to see curves, other times I willSmithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-57882216496005054162012-10-02T20:30:00.000-07:002012-10-02T20:31:52.687-07:00
How to hand polish Silver with gold accents and gilded gold on Antique Silver.
Wrights polish is gentle hand polish I use for things that need special care.
I did find out that Hagerty's does put ammonia in their product. You do need ventilation when using Hagerty's. Cape Code Polish has petroleum product in it. So be care with any of these products. Wrights is non toxic.
These are the Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-82819742454282058392012-08-08T22:10:00.000-07:002012-08-08T22:10:58.641-07:00
Samurai conservation before and after: Short film shows the incrustations from being in the sea for close to half a century. This came from a shipwreck, whose Captain collected Asian Art. There were some interesting small 12 inches metal figures. This one had Bronze Disease and was crusted over hiding the beautiful textures on the flowing robe. Thanks to the Objects Director of Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-67904491038592443172012-06-04T13:34:00.000-07:002012-06-04T13:34:06.538-07:00How to Hand Polish Sterling Silver; part 2
How to hand polish Sterling Silver: part 2.Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-54059423761901914612012-03-09T20:52:00.000-08:002012-03-09T20:52:18.305-08:00
Hand polishing your SilverSmithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-16213222118433679402012-02-04T21:31:00.000-08:002012-02-04T21:31:44.657-08:00
Patience Pays
How to make tools for rounding an antique enameled vase. How to round the vessel with the tools, I made.
Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-65384604010692666672011-10-25T18:52:00.000-07:002011-10-25T18:52:44.650-07:00
What a journey. Completely taken apart to remove dents and then back together. Whew!Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-59459260900575776992011-09-22T22:16:00.000-07:002011-09-22T22:16:42.739-07:00
Just about had it with this project. It has taken so long....I did figure out what was holding in the bakelite. Very old epoxy. I did not know that epoxy was made in the 1940's. I think, I have learned more about bakelite than I really wanted to know. One of the bracelets was very dented and I could not go in with tools. I had to take it completelySmithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-27182857124379265572011-09-22T21:46:00.000-07:002011-09-22T21:46:21.039-07:00
My website in QR Code. I love this new way of translating. A Smart phone can read this and you go directly to my website.Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-87663931286000065882011-05-10T21:39:00.000-07:002011-05-10T21:39:15.159-07:00How to solder cracks in antique pitcher
Sometimes when you align cracks, they pop into place. What a nice sound! Otherwise it is easing them inside and then going outside. On this Pitcher, I am going to use easy hard solder, for 2 reasons, it is coin silver, and will crack again easily if a low melting soft solder is used, and it is an important piece(important in the antique world means expensive) If the metal is smooth, you Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-14254928119515157322011-01-06T21:42:00.000-08:002011-01-06T21:42:30.028-08:00Duck Tape is your friend
When I work on antique silver, I protect it with duck tape. I use leather on my bench pen to protect the surface of the antique. I have found over the years that no matter how steady or how sure I am of my hands, they will slip. So I keep my mistakes to a minimum. Did I say mistakes?Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-23671983832547175852011-01-02T16:23:00.000-08:002011-01-02T16:26:07.327-08:00GuardianI restored a sculpture for a family, who named it "guardian." While it was in my studio, I understood why it was named guardian and why it was part of their family.
I decided to make a sculpture with the same feel.
My guardian stands about 40 inches high and is about 8 inches wide made of Slate,Plexiglas, Brass, rutilated quartz.Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-76666859100866028782011-01-02T16:13:00.000-08:002011-01-02T16:13:17.125-08:00Armor at HomeArmor finally at home.Took months to arrange for the new floors, and the corner for the Steel Man. His final finish was Renaissance Wax.Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-4317333203480709042010-09-18T22:24:00.000-07:002011-09-22T22:24:01.925-07:00Mystery Solved
I found residue of investment. I believe they used investment to protect the bakelite. Filling with investment letting solidify and then soldering with hard solder, then putting into water to dissolve investment, so bracelet remains hollow and light weight. That is my plan now for repairs. Will let you know if it works.
NO! this is the wrong way, continue on to other post to show how it Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-51309951761980088862010-09-18T22:18:00.000-07:002010-09-18T22:18:41.071-07:00Rare Bracelet Ballesteros BraceletDid you ever wonder how these were made?
The next picture will show. The real mystery was how they used hard solder to set Bakelite(a synthetic resin). I found out this week.Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-74488784159847363802010-06-13T14:39:00.000-07:002010-06-13T14:39:32.132-07:00This an example of Paul De Lamerie. and a very good reason to keep lead out of the studio if possible.(and ofcouse for your own health) To me it is interesting how silver seems to be softer over time. I have a theory, the more a silver object is handled by human hands the softer it becomes. When you have a museum quality object to work upon, it is best to do the least amount of work on it as Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-1461818828625006702010-06-13T14:25:00.000-07:002010-06-13T14:25:20.057-07:00Assortment of gloves for work, I use for polishing, bench work, hammer work, repairing antique pieces with lead. Which brings up the subject of lead. Lead work must be kept separate from other work, especially gold and silver. I have different soldering blocks for lead filled pieces and for the gold work, and for the silver work. I keep everything separate, including files and soldering tools. I Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-90454717339078717592010-05-18T20:49:00.000-07:002010-05-18T20:49:59.498-07:00Here are more examples of the tools.Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-9907378742990262742010-05-18T20:47:00.000-07:002010-05-18T20:47:52.315-07:00Here is an idea, that I wish I had come up with along time ago. I use the dapping tools for removing dents in vessels. I turned brass stock on lathe and tapped for insert screws to hold dapping tools in place. I made each end the exact diameter of the stock of the dapping tools. This is a way to make a tool that will go into very deep vessels. I also use the tools for special Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-8906886958820762022009-12-13T20:07:00.000-08:002009-12-15T20:30:31.323-08:00OK, here it is restored. The tea service that went through two walls in a tornado.The tray turned out well. I forgot to take a picture before I sent off to the owner.The teapot was the hardest, because of the spout.How did I do it? Annealing and burnishing over and over. I also made some new tools that fit exactly the curves of the pots.Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21183066.post-68349166008922295822009-11-19T19:55:00.000-08:002009-12-16T17:02:11.752-08:00This has to be the most unusual job I have had so far. This is a tea service that survived a tornado. It and its owner flew through the wall of the dining room and then through the wall of the next house. It and its owner both survived!Will show picture of restored pieces in December.I have it close to finished. The teapot is going slower than expected.Smithinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046536785292714084noreply@blogger.com0