Split Shank Ring

Next project was actually a two week project. Started last week, and finished this week, so I would have a chance to properly size the ring (for the wife) before I mounted the stone. The project was a split shank ring, meaning the shank (the band) is cut into multiple filaments where it attaches to the setting. I had to make the shank, bezel and shot for the ring, and bevel and set the stone.

Sterling Silver and Turquoise cab

I also started working on hand made hollow silver beads to match this ring. Those were fairly difficult to make, especially due to not wanting to dip the beads into the pickling solution (aka the acid solution that helps eat away some of the firescale that is formed when heating the metal) as the hollow interior would retain some of the acid, and could eventually corrode from the inside out. As a result, I had to let them air cool, and not only am I not patient enough for that (amazing how hot something that you heat up to 1200 degrees stays after 5 minutes,) but I also had to do quite a bit more polishing to remove the firescale from the beads.

Hope all of you got your taxes finished up, and have recovered from that freak cold spell last week!