Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2010 10:06 pm Posts: 2267 Location: Chapel Hill, NC / Toronto, ON
Hey guys, I've seen a bunch of pictures of stones that seem to have some kind of wire/metal stone holder thingie. It's like a pen, but when you click the back, instead of a writing implement popping out, 3, 4, or 5 wire things pop out that look like the prongs on a setting. You use it kinda like a three-finger claw to hold the stone without touching it.
1. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? 2. If so, where do I get one?
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2010 9:18 pm Posts: 155 Location: Northern California
Google has them filed under 'gem holder'. I bought mine from one of the places I get my other faceting supplies, don't remember which. Leave fewer fingerprints than my fingers but also more likely to scratch or chip a stone.
my warning....be very careful with soft stones and, this thingy. I put hours into this little benitoite, when finished I, tried picking it up with my thingy and, it gouged a deep line from the girdle to the culet point.
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 1:56 pm Posts: 282 Location: The Upper Beach
Arya, You didn't explore my faceting supplies enough when you had them. If you can wait until you visit Toronto, I can even throw in a ring that is spring loaded to hold stones.
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2007 8:14 pm Posts: 1383 Location: Royal Oak, Michigan US
Arya Akhavan wrote:
Hey guys, I've seen a bunch of pictures of stones that seem to have some kind of wire/metal stone holder thingie. It's like a pen, but when you click the back, instead of a writing implement popping out, 3, 4, or 5 wire things pop out that look like the prongs on a setting. You use it kinda like a three-finger claw to hold the stone without touching it.
1. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? 2. If so, where do I get one?
Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2012 12:46 am Posts: 120 Location: Montana
For what it's worth I used to have one of those that came in an electronic repair kit back in the mid 90's. it was to grab small chips and parts, essentially the same thing if that gives you another route to get one.
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2006 12:27 pm Posts: 764 Location: Western NY
These "thingies" are helpful, but I forbid anyone to use them with my stones. The same goes for locking tweezers. I'll take fingerprints over girdle repairs any day.
The catch with both locking tweezers & these holders is that they exert more force on the stone than the user might expect. In my opinion, it's better to learn how to have a light, firm touch with non-locking tweezers.
If a client is uncertain with tweezers, I encourage them to pick the stone up with fingers or place it on the back of their hand myself (having someone actually touch the stone helps sales, BTW.)
I find them useful for positioning stones for photos (no fingerprints!) or picking up smaller stones...
So far I haven't had any problems chipping or damaging stones, though once in a while a careless flip of the hand has sent them on a low-speed orbital trajectory, followed by me doing my impression of a bloodhound on the carpet.
-Allan
_________________ Allan Aoyama http://www.omnifaceter.net <- Omnifaceter is back online!
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