Sources for engraveable pendants, bracelets etc

[AO84]

Anyone able to recommend a website or two that sells good quality engraveables in 14k or 18k gold or perhaps platinum? Wondering if there are any reliable sites out there rather than general sites like etsy, Amazon
Thanks

 

[Matthew Evans]

Stuller Is the first that comes to mind and rio grande as an obvious.

 

[AO84]

Thanks

 

[TFACARVING]

Stuller Is the first that comes to mind and rio grande as an obvious.

Those would be my choices as well

 

[Chujybear]

Watch out for stamped fork. Production work for engraving is often rediculously thin

 

[AO84]

The items offered everywhere I've looked are indeed super thin... seems like the sturdier pendants and bracelets are perhaps being made by the engraver? Time to learn how to carve wax and sand cast ...

 

[thejeweler]

Stuller offers almost any gage you need for a lot of their stampings and in most precious metals . But to buy from Stuller, you have to set up an account, which requires a retail business license.

 

[Aventuraal]

That's not the case any longer. Stuller now has an "artisan" account that doesn't require a business license. I know, I have one that I just set up a few months ago.

 

[AO84]

Thank you for this information all

 

[TFACARVING]

The items offered everywhere I've looked are indeed super thin... seems like the sturdier pendants and bracelets are perhaps being made by the engraver? Time to learn how to carve wax and sand cast ...

I've done a little engraving on some lockets and the first one I did caved in quite a bit on the first side after that I realised you need a super sharp graver and a very light hand and I havnt had an issue since. If your worried about deforming you could always use thermo-loc as a bacbacker to keep the piece from being crushed (I should have done that when I started that locket) but I managed to fix it so it's all good. A lot of the engraver made pieces that I've seen are actually made from sheets that are cut to shape and shaped using doming punches and forming pliers and mandrels of different sorts then each piece is soldered together to form the final piece. The following usernames can be searched on Instagram each of these people have remarkable pieces that are all hand cut hand formed and soldered together and hand engraved personal favorite being first and so on @raftark @camillevales @noyesdesigns granted these are more advanced ideas

 

[Monica]

The items offered everywhere I've looked are indeed super thin... seems like the sturdier pendants and bracelets are perhaps being made by the engraver? Time to learn how to carve wax and sand cast ...

I carve wax, cast, and also fabricate a lot of my own pieces from scratch (piercing, forming and soldering sheet metal, rod, and tubing). Cast metals can come with porosity....which may not make them suitable for engraving. I think sand casting could cause more of that porosity. You can always use gravers on hard carving wax for some great designs.

For the most part, artists use sheet metals and rod that are cut, shaped, and soldered, as already mentioned.

For engravable items and fabricating metals, I would go with RioGrande, Hallstead, Stuller, and sellers on Etsy that sell steel, bronze, brass, and other metal blanks in 16 gauge or 18 gauge.

 

[AO84]

Good point re porosity...and thanks for taking the time to provide that feedback...very useful.