I have heard for years complaints about “Why isn’t there a national aglet day?”. Well. Let’s get started on fixing that. First, make sure you go to Facebook and like the following page. Aglets, Aiglets, and Lace Tags. Also make sure to join the group Aglets, Aiglets, and Lace Tags Community.
Storing your sandpaper correctly.
Not only is it important to store your jewelry materials in such a way that they are protected, but it is also important to store your tools safely as well. and this includes your consumable items. I am going to share an inexpensive, but valuable way to save labor due to needing to repolish items….
So you want to be a jeweler…
I have been asked many times for advice about becoming a professional jeweler.
So here are my musings, thoughts, and opinions on how to become a professional jeweler. This might ramble a bit but I feel this all ties together.
My take on “Documentation”
The following is what I feel best describes the phrase “well documented”.
“well documented” means a record in written, photographic, or other forms that is supported thoroughly with sufficient relevant documentation to enable understanding of the facts and the reasons for those determinations. This documentation should include all source data, clearly detailed methodologies, calculations, results, and all criteria be explained plainly.
Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources
Well. It finally happened as everything comes full circle.
I was doing some random searches about lace tags and found a blog that was showing ^the correct way to make them^ and they referenced my 2017 paper on the subject.
Deconstructing a Historical Ring
I have been seeing this ring image being shared around on the Internet and FaceBook recently and as a professional jeweler who studies historical jewelry manufacturing processes this item raises some red flags for me.
DACUM Competency Profile for goldsmiths
It is my hope that this competency profile can be used by administrators in trade schools, 4-year colleges & universities, Postsecondary vocational schools, technical colleges and high school trade classes. I will be using this as a basis for my teaching and the book I hope to write very soon helping others learn the basics of goldsmithing.
Education and teaching is a discipline of its own
Just because you are a master of your craft does not mean you can teach it. So tell me that teaching can be “one on one, a mentorship, providing a workshop for a particular skill, etc…”. Yeah. Sure. But you still have not addressed the fact that most people do not know how to pass on knowledge in a teaching situation!
How do you start?
If you are reading this, I hope you came to my blog because you have decided that having a career in the jewelry trade might be fun and interesting.I have no idea what you think you will find here. I also am not sure what you need to hear so all I can do is…
Work Hardening Fine Silver
About fine silver A few weeks ago on Facebook I saw a post about the correct way to anneal fine silver. Being a professional jeweler, I answered with the comment that fine silver does not need annealing as it has no copper or other alloying metals in it and as such, can not work harden….