Protecting Your Hands When Jewellery Making
Are your fingertips sore and your skin in need of a little TLC? We've got you covered
We’ve got the perfect duo that every jeweller needs in their workshop to keep hands looking soft and clean.
A day at the workbench is often hard on the hands for any jeweller, leaving them sometimes dirty and your fingertips numb or sore from gripping too hard. After a while, this could result in dry and cracked skin which can be painful and not very pleasant to look at.
Today we've got two products that are complete game changers, topping up your drawer with useful and handy tools to help protect yourself. Whether you want protection when polishing, stone setting or sawing - alligator tape is our most recommended product alongside O'Keeffe's Working Hands hand cream to keep them soft.
Keep reading to find out more about these loved items and how they could transform your fingers and mood at the bench!
Alligator Skin Finger Protection Tape
A must-have in any jewellers workshop and always being raved about on social media. The alligator tape is a customer favourite here at Kernowcraft – and in the office too! It works by protecting your fingers throughout your jewellery making project, whether you’re filing, polishing, grinding or stone setting.
Great protection
It will protect you against any minor cuts, abrasions or burns while also avoiding getting your fingers dirty. It’s also good alongside heat and avoiding numb fingers when gripping down hard, with the tape you can keep a hard grip but avoid any damage to your hands in the process.
Non-sticky and flexible
The tape is a thin, non-sticky material, tears easily and it's really flexible so it won’t restrict your movements when making a design. We recommend using a few layers of the alligator tape to make sure it’s secured around your fingers.
You’ll be glad to know that this tape sticks to itself, meaning you won’t have to worry about getting irritated by sticky residue or being unable to remove it after you're done.
Lasts all day
A single application will last you all day long, so this is certainly a handy roll to have in your drawer in times of need. Not only is alligator tape great for jewellery making, our customers tell us that it’s also perfect for all kinds of people, from guitarists to Bobbin Lace Makers!
What Kernowcraft customers say...
Jewellery making isn't the most glamours job and if you know me, you'll have seen my 'worker hands'. I've finally got some finger protection tape.
I saw it and bought some, and can confirm Alligator tape is an absolute lifesaver for fingers and manicures when sawing and filing intricate pieces. I cannot recommend it highly enough - the only place I've seen it for sale is Kernowcraft.
Alligator tape saves the day (and my fingers) once again. Thanks Kernowcraft.
O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream
Heal your silversmith fingers!
We’re so excited for this new addition to the website, with it being a firm favourite in the office – we had to give you the chance to snap it up too.
When making jewellery all day long, it can cause your hands to become dry and craving moisture. Using this hand cream, it will protect your skin from water loss and avoid dry and cracked skin – which can sometimes be painful too.
It is advised to use O’Keeffe’s Working Hands hand cream after handwashing, bathing and just before you head to bed and of course, it's not just jewellers who need this brilliant cream, it's great for anyone who uses their hands a lot for work.
It's a brilliant healer, with the before and after photo below showing results just after 7 days.
Dawn, part of the Kernowcraft team and jeweller has used Working Hands and gives us a review on her go-to hand cream…
I think that the Working Hands is amazing cream for your hands, it’s better than other creams I have used and is excellent for repairing your hands if they are chapped or sore from either working with tools or even just from the wet and cold weather. My hands have improved when using this product after just a few days and healed very quickly.
It is a good cream to use to keep your hands in good condition especially when you are working and exposing your hands to all sorts of different things.
Don't forget...
Never use gloves when jewellery making, especially when using a bench polisher - it can end with very serious injuries if it gets trapped in the machine. We recommend tying your hair up, not to wear loose clothing and always do a risk assessment before starting a jewellery project.