CHAPTER VIII 
THE SETTING OE STONES Tools required and their uses. 

Stones may be set in a number of different ways, though it has been found by experience that certain stones look better in one type of setting than in another. As a general rule, fine stones which are cut in facets, Fig. 49, gems, the beauty of which is largely dependent on the light which passes into and through them, look better in an open setting such as the claAv or coronet. For in this setting, not only is the stone separated from its surroundings as a very pre cious thing, but light is able to pass between the claws to the underpart of the stone, and enter there, making the whole gem look more brilliant. On the other hand, stones which are flat, or which have the smooth rounded shape known as cabochon, Figs. 50 and 51, are generally put into one of the closer settings. But there is no invariable rule. The nature and shape of the stone, its position and impor tance in the work, should be considered in deciding whether it is to go into a coronet or cut down, gipsy or Roman, thread or rubbed over setting. For stones which are cut flat, or nearly flat, underneath, such as turquoises, half-pearls, opals or carbuncles, no opening is made through the back of the setting. But stones with a " culet " or point underneath generally go into a setting Avhich has a hole cut right through the metal at the back; this opening being squared out wider underneath the shelf or bearer upon which the stone rests. The widest part of a stone—where its top and underside meet—is called the girdle, waist or shoulder. Part of a setting must support the stone below this point, or the stone would drop through the setting and part must come above, to hold the gem in. Stones which are not fairly level round the waist, or which are not well bevelled off above it, give rather more trouble in setting, so they should be avoided if possible. 

The tools required for setting are— 
1.  One or two triblets. These tapering rods of steel are used for turning up and enlarging collets and rings. An old cotton spindle makes a very useful triblet. These spindles, which can be bought for a penny, measure about 15 inches long, and taper from I inch to about TV inch in diameter. Other triblets, measuring up to about § inch in diameter may be required. 

2.  A number of scorpers, Figs. 52 to 57. These are short cutting tools, fitting into small round handles. The handle being against the ball of the little finger, the blade of the tool is held between the thumb and index finger. Many Avorkers prefer to have a handle for each scorper. But there is much to be said for the use of a single handle fitted with a screAv chuck into which any blade will fit. In this casethescorpersarekept, pointsupwards,ina rowofholes in a small block of Avood. The tool required can be found and fitted into the handle in two seconds. Gravers and scorpers which can be bought ready made are generally far too thick at the back. To keep them in order a great deal of time has to be wasted in grinding away the superfluous metal,—athirdtoa quarteroftheweightofthe blade. The tools must, of course, have sufficient metal in them to be rigid, but any additional weight represents just so much labour to be thrown away. It is better to make one's own scorpers than to buy them. Use round tool-steel rods, Nos. 20 to 30, Stubs' Wire Gauge. Forge the tools to shape, harden and temper them, as described in Chapter XXX. Theyareknownbyvarious names:" flat"scorpers,Fig.53; " round " scorpers, Fig. 54 (sometimes called " half-round "); "spitstickers," Fig. 55; "knife edge," Fig. 56; "bull-stickers," Fig. 57, and so on. They are sharpened to an acute angle on the oilstone. It is usual to try the point 
THE SETTING OF STONES 69 
on the thumb nail. If sharp, it will not slip at all, but will catch at once. If a bright cut is to be made by the scorper, the tool must first be rubbed quite bright on the blackstone. Should the bright cutting be required on a concave surface, the underside of the tool must be curved also, or the cut will not be clean. 
3. 
Cement sticks, Figs. 60, 61. These are pieces of wood 4 inches long, \ to f inch diameter. At one end is a knob of cement, into which any small piece of work can be stuck. To make the cement, melt some resin and stir into it sufficient brickdust or plaster of Paris to make a thick paste. To fasten a piece of work on to the stick, warm the cement over a gas jet, and press the work into it. It will hold quite firmly when the cement is cold. If the underside of the work is very uneven, with recesses likely to become filled up with the cement, and thus give considerable trouble in cleaning out afterwards, it is well to cover the back of the work with gold beaters' skin before pressing it on to the cement. Cement sticks are sometimes made to taper like a meat skewer. They are smeared with cement and are useful for holding collets, settings and other small rings. 


4. 
A wax stick. This is a conical piece of prepared Avax attached to a small, round stick, 1 inch long. It is used for picking up stones to try them in their settings. It is composed of beeswax mixed with (1) Venice turpentine—­a sticky material; (2) Venetian red—this colours and dries the mixture; and (3) Glycerine—very little of this is required. It prevents the mass from setting too hard. 


5. 
Drillstock and drills. The former is the ordinary jeAveller's tool. Fig. 62. Its use is almost universal, for, besides its simplicity of construction, it has the great ad vantage of requiring but one hand to hold and use it, leaving the other free to hold the work. The drillstock should be fitted with a screw chuck, for with this almost any drill may be used. Drills may be of any type. It will be remembered that the drill, when in use, rotates alternately from left to right and from right to left. So the cutting 




edges of the drill may be sharpened so that in whichever direction the tool may be rotating it will cut (Fig. 58), or both edges of the drill may be sharpened to cut in one direction. For drilling partly through thin metal a flat-bottomed drill is used, Fig. 59. It has a small projecting point in the centre which keeps the drill from wandering. This drill is used to sink holes for half-pearls, turquoises or other stones which are flat underneath. A slight peck is made with a narrow, round scorper in the centre of the space to be drilled, for the point of the drill to go into. It is well then to drill a tiny hole for the centre point to get a start in. But do not drill this small hole very deeply. 
6. Graining tools, Fig. 63. These tools are made from short straight rods of steel, one extremity of which fits into a small handle, like that of a scorper. The other ends in a cup-shaped but not very deep hollow; the tool is usedto shapeany smallprojecting point ofmetalinto a neat boss or grain, by rounding over its top and edges. The tool is held between the thumb and second finger, the forefingerbeingonthetopofthe handle. Thehollowpoint is then placed over the projecting piece of metal, and the tool gently rocked from side to side. It presses the metal into shape. These tools are made by driving a rounded punch into the end of a piece of steel rod which has been previously softened. The end of the rod is then filed so as toleave onlya narrow rim, likeaknife edge, roundthehol low produced by the punch. The rim is smoothed up with fineemeryandthe toolhardenedandtempered. Thehollow end may be kept burnished by occasionally working it on a small steel boss or " fion," made in either of the tAVO ways now described. Take a piece of tool steel, measuring, say, 1 inch by 1 inch by | inch. Part of an old file Avill do. Make it quite soft by leaving it in a fire until the fire goes out. Bevel one edge of it to a wedge shape, see Fig. 67. 
With hacksaAV or slotting file make a series of cuts TV inch deep across the tapered edge of the steel plate, leaving a little square piece ofmetalbetween each cut. These squares 
THE SETTING OF STONES 71 
will, of course, vary in size from nearly £ inch, doAAn to a very small square peg of metal at the narroAv end of the taper. Next round over each of these square pegs neatly Avith a file Make each one as smooth and round a boss as possible. Polish them with a buff and fine emerjr ; after wards Avith rouge. Then harden the plate, Fig. 68. It is not necessary to temper it. Set it in a small cake of lead so that it Avill always stand upright. Polish up the little bosses finally with Sheffield lime made into a paste Avith Avater. The use of this material enables the highest possible polish to be given to steel articles. 
A simpler and quite as effective a way of making fions is the folloAving. Take a piece of steel wire an inch long, file each end to a rounded point, the size that you Avish the tool to be, for graining tools and the fions on which they are kept bright are made in various sizes. But half a dozen, running from iV inch downwards, are perhaps as many as you are likely to require. Make the points as true as you can. Then harden them, but do not temper. Put the tool in the drill-stock and rest the point on a fine emery buff. After a feAV turns of the drillstock the point of the tool will begin to penetrate the buff. Shift to another place. The fine emery Avill give an almost perfect polish to the point of the tool. You may also polish up the graining tool in the same manner. Another kind of graining tool, Fig. 64, has several, say five, little holloAvs in a toav at its point. 
7. 
Roulette, Fig. 66. This tool has a small wheel at its extremity Avith a i-oav of shallow depressions round its cir cumference. These IioIIoavs produce a toav of small bosses or grains upon any narroAv edge of metal along which it is Avheeled. 


8. 
Push tool. A short brass tool set in a small handle like a scorper. It is made from a piece of -fV inch brass wire. The point is slightly hollowed. The tool is used to press a stone firmly home into its setting. 


9. 
The setting or pressing tool is a short square-ended tool of brass, set in a small handle like the last. It is used to 




push the tops of the claws of a coronet setting over the edge of the stone. To avoid any danger of the tool slipping its point is roughened by beating it with a file. 
10. 
One or two 6-inch lengths of J or T|-inch steel rod. The ends are filed to conical points varying in sharpness. A large cork pushed on to the middle of the mandrel serves as a handle. The use of these tools is described under " Thread " and " Roman " settings. 


11. 
Clamp for drilling pearls or other rounded objects, Fig. 65. This is made from a strip of stout brass folded in half. A series of holes, varying in size, is drilled through the two halves. The inner edge of these holes is rounded off to give a safer grip on the object to be drilled, and to prevent any injury being done to it by the sharp edge of the hole. By moving up the sliding ring the pearl can be gripped quite firmly between the jaAvs. 


12. 
Saw-frame and piercing-saws. 


13. 
Several pairs of pliers, flat, snipe-and round-nosed. 


14. 
Files of various shapes. 


15. 
Shears 


16. 
A pair of spring dividers. 


17. 
A punch with a matted surface. 








18. An oilstone, a blackstone and a rubstone. The black-stone is used for producing a burnished surface on a scorper after it has been sharpened on the oilstone, when a bright or burnished cut is required. The rubstone is a flat-topped stone upon which work may be rubbed quite level. In fitting parts together it is a great convenience to be able to grind surfaces which are to come in contact quite flat and 
true. 
19. 
Burnishers, Figs. 44 and 45. 


20. 
Polishing materials. 


21. 
Soldering materials. 




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