Polishing Jewellery Q&A With Stephen M Goldsmith
We are so excited to collaborate with Master Polisher, Stephen M Goldsmith on this highly anticipated Polishing Q&A!
Stephen is a professional polisher, with 50 years in the trade where he has polished a huge range of items from high-end jewellery to royal and historical items. Today he is passionate about keeping the art of polishing alive and passing on his knowledge of this craft - which is clearly shown by his first published book Polishing And Finishing For Jewellers And Silversmiths which is available to buy on our website.
This Q&A is filled with a detailed look into the polishing process, with brilliant tips and advice along the way. Thank you to everyone who got involved with sending in your questions - there were so many that we couldn't answer them all but Stephen has tried his best to cover a range of topics with the most commonly asked questions. All of the submitted questions were also put into a competition draw to win a signed copy of Stephen's popular book - the winner is announced in the video below!
Watch Stephen's Polishing Q&A
Stephen Visited Us At Kernowcraft HQ!
We were thrilled to welcome Stephen to Kernowcraft in sunny Cornwall and finally meet the Polishing Guru in person where he signed the winner's book.
Polishing And Finishing For Jewellers And Silversmiths
Polishing And Finishing For Jewellers And Silversmiths is an invaluable and practical guide to the polishing process. Written by a leading master polisher Stephen M Goldsmith, this book explains the traditional techniques and shares the secrets of this often under-rated craft. Never forget that a professional finish will transform a piece of jewellery or silver into a work of art! Book highlights include advice on setting up your workshop, a guide on finishing methods, step by step examples as well as best practices for beginners.
Look Inside This Popular Book!
Read Our Interview With Stephen & Hear His Story
Want to hear more about Stephen's background and experiences in the polishing industry? Read our interview where we find out how Stephen's career began, more about the fascinating items he has polished and the inspiration behind his book loved by jewellers.
Follow Stephen on Instagram
Our top investments
Dremel Multi Tool
If you are serious about making jewellery, the Dremel 4250 Multi Tool is one tool you simply can't do without. It's one of the most universal tools on the market, this is an excellent, high quality and robust tool, ideal for both hobbyists and dedicated jewellery makers - at a very affordable price.
The multi tool enables precise, detailed work. Despite its small size it is surprisingly powerful and offers numerous possibilities due to the many accessories enabling detailed sanding, carving, cutting, grinding, cleaning and polishing.
Offering numerous possibilities due to the multitude of accessories, enabling detailed sanding, carving, engraving, cutting, grinding, cleaning and polishing. Don't forget to check out our wide range of accessories that fit the Dremel, including silicon polishers in wheel, knife edge and cylinder shapes, polishing mops and more.
Barrelling Machine Kit for Polishing Metal
This barrelling machine kit comes with everything you need to tumble polish your metal jewellery. This machine works by 'tumbling' stainless steel shot around in the spinning barrel which then impacts your jewellery - acting like tiny hammers planishing the surface of the metal, polishing it to a high shine. It will totally transform your pieces, giving them a professional finish as well as saving you time and effort at your workbench!
Don't Forget To Protect Your Hands & Eyes
As Stephen discusses in the Q&A video above, your hands and eyes are your greatest tools and ones you need to look after when making your handmade jewellery designs. Check out some of our top protection supplies below, including the O'Keefe's Working Hands Hand Cream which Stephen mentions in the Q&A.
Safety Goggles
Wearing eye protection is so important. Jewellery making involves a lot of dust, debris and sometimes flying metal! So ensure your eyes are well protected to prevent accidents.
O'Keefe's Working Hands Hand Cream
This hand cream is raved about in the jewellery making community. Use it to heal cracks, dry skin and sore fingers after a long day at the bench. It is also great for leaving a protective barrier on your skin that locks in moisture!
Alligator Finger Protection Tape
Another favourite among jewellers is alligator tape. Wrap it around your fingers to protect and improve your grip during jewellery making and other craftwork.
Keep Learning With Our Tutorial & Advice Pages
In the brilliant Polishing Q&A video, Stephen covered a whole range of topics! Learn more about the products and techniques mentioned below, where we go into further detail. You will also find links to tools and products mentioned for the polishing process.
Guide To Sanding & Polishing
From the importance of preparation, top tools to finger protection! We share our helpful guide on the many factors to consider for the polishing process.
Polishing By Hand
If you're at the beginning of your polishing journey and don't want to reach for power tools just yet, you may like to try our popular polishing papers! Simply work through the colour grades to achieve a shiny finish.
Everything You Need To Know About The Barrelling Machine
Read our in-depth guide to the barrelling machine, this kit is a great investment for achieving a professional polish and finish.
How To Prevent & Remove Fire Scale & Fire Stain
Find out the difference between fire scale and fire stain, how to remove it and the prevention methods you can use to avoid it from happening!
Shop our range of sanding, polishing & cleaning tools and supplies
How To Create A Patina With Liver Of Sulphur
Creating a patina is one of our favourite techniques! Learn more about this method of achieving an antique look on metal - perfect for making textures pop.
Also in this section:
- Guide To Sanding & Polishing For Jewellery Making
- Hand Polishing Your Jewellery With Polishing Papers
- A Guide To Texturing Metals For Jewellery Making
- Top Tools For Making Textures On Metal
- Beginner's Guide To Chasing & Repoussé
- How To Make Easy Textured Earrings
- How To Make A Hammered Copper & Silver Heart Pendant
- How To Make A Textured Cuff Bracelet
- How To Make A Metal Leaf Decoration
- How To Use Doming Block & Punches For Jewellery Making
- How To Make Domed Metal Earrings With A Doming Block
- How To Engrave Your Drawings On Art Clay Copper
- Textured Washer Bracelet Tutorial With Guest Jeweller Laura Grey
- Barrelling Machine For Polishing Metal - Everything You Need To Know
- Tumbling Machine For Polishing Stones and Glass- Everything You Need To Know
- Polishing Jewellery Q&A With Stephen M Goldsmith
- Town Talk Products For Cleaning & Caring For Jewellery
- Creating A Resin Bird Pendant With Designer Sarah Hoare
- VIDEO: How To Create Patina With Liver Of Sulphur
- 2 Ways To Apply Liver Of Sulphur
- VIDEO: How To Use Silver Plating Solution
- How To Clean & Prevent Tarnished Jewellery
- Why You Need Anti Tarnish Paper Strips
- How To Use Midas Finish Seal Lacquer
- How To Use Renaissance Wax To Prevent Tarnished Jewellery
- VIDEO: Working With Crinkle Metal Sheet
- A Guide To Using Mokume Gane Metal For Jewellery Making
HAVE A QUESTION?
If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with our friendly team who will be more than happy to give you advice over email or on the phone.
You can learn more and find inspiration by visiting our Jewellery Making Tutorials, Jewellery Making Kits and YouTube Channel. Don't forget to follow us on social media and tag us in your designs on Instagram & Facebook, we would love to see!