Yesterday I finally finished a ring that I've been working on for three weeks. I got to the point of polishing and buffing - right before letting it take a dip in the smelly liver of sulfur bath. Then "IT" happened. I used a Tripoli compound on the buffing wheel. Tripoli compound takes more scratches off the surface than the Rouge compound with which I am most comfortable. Unfortunately, Tripoli took too much off in one place and I had to stop to fix it. I had taken such great pains with this ring during the entire soldering process, that I couldn't believe "IT" happened as I was nearing the end.
Of course, I started chastising myself for this really STUPID act. (you must be able to relate) I wanted to throw it through a window, sit down and cry. My instructor was wonderful and calm. She coached me through the "fix" and told me to be grateful that it could be fixed as she has many projects that had to be discarded into the "unfixable" bucket on her studio shelf. I took a deep breath and continued to see the beauty in this project.
It may have taken me three attempts to finally get it the way I wanted - that crazy buffing machine can be quite dangerous - and then it came time to set the stone. What? It doesn't sit right? It's tilted? How did "IT" happen? When I made the setting, it fit perfectly. And then that angel instructor of mine came over, suggested a slight adjustment, and it fit perfectly again!
Now it was time for me to bend the tabs that were designed to hold the stone in place. The tabs were slightly smaller than the end of the bezel setting tool, so I was frantically trying to find another tool that would work. I had given up. One of my classmates looked at my dilemma and said, "Oh, and you were SO close to finishing!" Why yes, yes I was. At that point, I walked back to my workstation ready to put the ring back in my supply box. My instructor walked up to me with a tool in her hand. It was exactly what I needed to complete the ring. However, I couldn't push the thick metal tab - I wasn't strong enough. She told me to get a small hammer and gently tap, tap, tap on the tab. It worked! I blurted out, "Rachel, you're a GENIUS!" She laughed...my classmates laughed...I could have hugged her! (She's also one of my biggest metalsmithing cheerleaders.)
So, now you know why I've decided to name this beautiful ring "Rachel" - it's only right.
Looking forward...
~ Carole
