Help, please: My piece fell off the vise

[JohnR]

I was stippling on a 1911 slide and all of a sudden it fell out of the vise :beatup: I now have a small scratch to repair (do-able), but my graver tip put a hole in the inlayed silver border. It's about 60% of the with of the 26g inlay. What would be the fix? Can I try to fill the hole with soft silver and see if I can punch it in and get a cold weld? Or do I just remove the silver at the damaged area, clean the channel & re-inlay a small wire? Thanks for any help.....JohnR

 

[mitch]

can you post a pic of the damage?

 

[JohnR]

I will post one after work tonight.....JohnR

 

[SamW]

I normally (it does happen) will lift out about a quarter of an inch in the damaged area, push back the ends of the wire remaining in the channel to give excess for fitting to the new wire, and then inlay new to replace the old. Pushing back the ends is key to getting a good tight disappearing seam where the wires meet and having enough excess to work down smooth again. If in doubt, try a little in a practice plate.

 

[tim halloran]

Try Burnishing It Out, You 'd Be Surprised What You Can Do With A Burnisher.

 

[JohnR]

Here is a picture of the ding. Just below the left leaf. Hope you can see it....JohnR

 

[JohnR]

Oops, I think I made the file too small. Sorry this is the best I can do. Not very computer savy.

 

[JohnR]

I finished and it looks great. I tried doing it the quick & easy way but that didn't work. The silver wouldn't cold weld together. As Sam said I removed a portion of the damaged wire, cleaned the channel and did some undercuts for holding power. The wire went in and seamed very nicely. Thanks everyone for your input.....JohnR

 

[GTJC460]

If you ever have this problem again, you call around to some local jewelers. A good one with a laser welder could easily fill it a few zaps and filler wire and it's would be impossible to tell.