Restoring Satin Finish

Hey There-

My wife and I gave each other matching 14K gold bands with satin
finishes at our wedding last January
(http://www.billbarnes.com/photos/273419-Angle1.jpg).

It's been just over a year now, and that satin finish which gave the
rings such a striking look has long since worn off.

Is there an idiot-proof way for us to restore the finish at home?
(We're open to making a moderate investment in the proper equipment,
if needed)

Thanks,
-Uriel

Uriel Schafer wrote:
Hey There-

My wife and I gave each other matching 14K gold bands with satin
finishes at our wedding last January
(http://www.billbarnes.com/photos/273419-Angle1.jpg).

It's been just over a year now, and that satin finish which gave the
rings such a striking look has long since worn off.

Is there an idiot-proof way for us to restore the finish at home?
(We're open to making a moderate investment in the proper equipment,
if needed)

Original satin of this ring is made with a machine. However a near
approach
to this optic, You might get with sandpaper with 100 to 150 grain.
his optic will last shorter than original.

For that reason I never suggest sanded optics or diamond cut optics for
such rings. :-(

--
Heinrich Butschal
Forschung und Entwicklung, Goldschmiedemeister
http://butschal.de/werkstatt

It sounds like the finish is the result of bead blasting. This is the
same
process as sand blasting, but the abrasive medium is tiny glass beads
(feels
a bit like course flour) instead of sand.
Anyone with sand blasting equipment can do it in just a few minutes,
but, as
you've found out, it is not a durable finish.
--
Regards, Gary Wooding
(Change feet to foot to reply)

"Uriel Schafer" wrote in message
...
Hey There-

My wife and I gave each other matching 14K gold bands with satin
finishes at our wedding last January
(http://www.billbarnes.com/photos/273419-Angle1.jpg).

It's been just over a year now, and that satin finish which gave the
rings such a striking look has long since worn off.

Is there an idiot-proof way for us to restore the finish at home?
(We're open to making a moderate investment in the proper equipment,
if needed)

Thanks,
-Uriel

Wooding wrote:
It sounds like the finish is the result of bead blasting. This is the
same
process as sand blasting, but the abrasive medium is tiny glass beads
(feels
a bit like course flour) instead of sand.
Anyone with sand blasting equipment can do it in just a few minutes,
but, as
you've found out, it is not a durable finish.

"Uriel Schafer" wrote in message
...
Hey There-

My wife and I gave each other matching 14K gold bands with satin
finishes at our wedding last January
(http://www.billbarnes.com/photos/273419-Angle1.jpg).

It's been just over a year now, and that satin finish which gave the
rings such a striking look has long since worn off.

Is there an idiot-proof way for us to restore the finish at home?
(We're open to making a moderate investment in the proper equipment,
if needed)

Thanks,
-Uriel

Sorry, this is not. You will see bar stripes. This is made with a
special brush.
--
Heinrich Butschal
Beratung, Projektmanagement
http://consulting.butschal.de

Heinrich Butschal wrote:

Uriel Schafer wrote:
Hey There-

My wife and I gave each other matching 14K gold bands with satin
finishes at our wedding last January
(http://www.billbarnes.com/photos/273419-Angle1.jpg).

It's been just over a year now, and that satin finish which gave the
rings such a striking look has long since worn off.

Is there an idiot-proof way for us to restore the finish at home?
(We're open to making a moderate investment in the proper equipment,
if needed)

Original satin of this ring is made with a machine. However a near
approach
to this optic, You might get with sandpaper with 100 to 150 grain.
his optic will last shorter than original.

For that reason I never suggest sanded optics or diamond cut optics for
such rings. :-(


However you got the satinized finish back onto the ring, to get the
little polished line you need to mount it on a lathe after putting
on the satin finish (or you would have to put on the satin finish
with a lathe in the first place, carefully missing the little
highly polished line).
--
cheers m

"Heinrich Butschal" wrote in message
...
Wooding wrote:
It sounds like the finish is the result of bead blasting. This is
the
same
process as sand blasting, but the abrasive medium is tiny glass
beads
(feels
a bit like course flour) instead of sand.
Anyone with sand blasting equipment can do it in just a few
minutes,
but, as
you've found out, it is not a durable finish.


Sorry, this is not. You will see bar stripes. This is made with a
special brush.

A special brush, and then a line cut into the ring..? (--That
would make sense.)

Lathed?

-SP-




--
Heinrich Butschal
Beratung, Projektmanagement
http://consulting.butschal.de

Uriel Schafer wrote:

Hey There-

My wife and I gave each other matching 14K gold bands with satin
finishes at our wedding last January
(http://www.billbarnes.com/photos/273419-Angle1.jpg).

It's been just over a year now, and that satin finish which gave the
rings such a striking look has long since worn off.

Try this:
The rings represent your marriage. They are intact and strong and have
grown smoother with time and use. With care so does a marriage. That
they have gone smooth is testament to the fact that you wear them and
consider it important to do so.

Or you could sand them down every few months and wear them out
prematurely by trying to keep them exactly as they were. Hmm...
symbolism there too...
--


If you try to 'reply' to me without fixing the dot, your reply
will go into a 'special' mailbox reserved for spam. See below.


--
Carl West http://carl.west.home.comcast.net

change the 'DOT' to '.' to email me

If I had six hours to chop down a tree,
I'd spend the first four sharpening the axe.
- Abraham Lincoln

-SP- wrote:
"Heinrich Butschal" wrote in message
...
Wooding wrote:
It sounds like the finish is the result of bead blasting. This is
the same
process as sand blasting, but the abrasive medium is tiny glass
beads (feels
a bit like course flour) instead of sand.
Anyone with sand blasting equipment can do it in just a few minutes,
but, as
you've found out, it is not a durable finish.


Sorry, this is not. You will see bar stripes. This is made with a
special brush.

A special brush, and then a line cut into the ring..? (--That
would make sense.)

Lathed?

Could be, but is not necessary. The polished line is deeper, so it won´t
be destroyed by brushing.


--
Heinrich Butschal
casting technologies
http://butschal.de/werkstatt

Heinrich Butschal wrote:

Could be, but is not necessary. The polished line is deeper, so it won´t
be destroyed by brushing.


Doesn't appear to be in the posted image.
Appears to be right on the surface.
--
cheers m mbstevens.com

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 08:08:34 -0800, in rec.crafts.jewelry m
wrote:


Could be, but is not necessary. The polished line is deeper, so it won´t
be destroyed by brushing.


Doesn't appear to be in the posted image.
Appears to be right on the surface.

Trust us, M. The polished line is cut deeper than the satined surface.
Avoiding it, or masking it while brushing, would be simple. A lathe is
definately not needed. Standard satin finish wheel on the polishing
machine. What I don't recall is whether the satin lines go paralell to
that polished line on this ring, or accross it, on the C. Bauer one
shown (which i've seen, and worked on in the past). Memory says across
it, but i've seen it both ways, from various manufacturers. A number
of manufacturers do essentially this same ring, and most have come to
the wise conclusion that it's best made so as to be very simple for any
bench jeweler to refinish. If the groove needs work at all, which it
usually doesn't, a simple knife edge felt wheel on the buffing machine
restores it, or use a small knufe edge rubber wheel in one of the high
polish grades. or for a light touch up, some rouge on a bit of string..
The stiffer satin wheels can be used (carefully) to just go up to, but
not into, the groove when putting on the sain, while the fluffier/softer
ones work best when you mask the groove. A piece of string pulled tight
into the groove while you satin the area around works just fine. You
really don't need a lathe to refinish these. Even a dremel works fine
with the small mounted satin wheels, or in a pinch, you can do a decent
looking job with a bit of emery paper just in your hand, if the lines go
across the ring.

Peter