Jewellery World Magazine - May 2021

7
Check the profile of your punch
on a ring shank by rolling it
around, then continue shaping
the groove if it doesn’t fit neatly enough.
You could also use a round needle file
for the final shaping.
8
Remove all tool marks from the
working surface of the punch with
emery paper. The better the finish
you achieve on the tool, the better your
ring shank will look and will require less
finishing work.
9
The punch now needs to be
hardened.
Heat the punch up until it is bright
red then quench it in water. Quenching
in oil will give a better result but it does
come with a fire hazard risk and it’s not
really necessary for small jobs like this.
The working end of the punch will now
be hardened, but it will also be brittle
and may crack during use.
10
We now need to temper it. But
before applying heat again,
sand the surface of the steel
back to remove the oxides so
that you can monitor the colour change.
Heat the working end of the punch to
around 375°F/ 191°C. When the metal at
the tip turns to a brownie straw colour it will
slightly soften the metal alloys and become
tempered. Cool it quickly before the colour
changes further.
11efficient it is for ring stretching
Now you can test out the
punch and see for yourself how
and shaping. Make a silver
or brass ring. This could even be a flat
profile. Hammer the punch around the
ring to change the profile and size of the
ring. With practise you will find that the
shank will need very little extra work to
finish it off.
12
You can also use this tool
during the manufacturing
process by pre shaping shank
wire before forming the ring.
The other benefit of using this tool is
that it will harden the ring shank as well
as stretch it, adding longevity to the
ring. For the best results, avoid sizing
old rings at the most worn point at the
bottom. Stretch the ring from the sides
of the shank.
Peter Keep is a
master jeweller
and teacher. He
offers structured
online courses
that have helped
thousands of
students around
the world improve
their skills.
Jewellery Training Solutions offers a comprehensive online training service
including the very popular Ten Stage Apprenticeship Course.
For the video tutorial go to
https://jewellery-training-solutions.thinkific.com/courses/shank-punch
Check out the other courses and options:
www.jewellerytrainingsolutions.com.au
May 2021 45