Hapur, A
very interesting presentation. And one that is going to help bring a lot of new focus on the making of rings.
�There is no diference what casting equipment has been used, anyway you will loose quality and there will not be absolute "Sameness" or repeatability in other words.� I�m in agreement. While modern commercial precision investment castings generally conform in most parameters. They are not going to be as exact a copy as a die cast one. Or a stamping such as a coin.
�It's not really correct. It is master die from which the working die or female die was made. This specific ring was made without male die. There is no reason to waste labour and materials for male die in this case. And at that time noone wasted die materials. I have some dies inherited from 30ies and 40ies there is so many dies made in one single piece of metal.� Are you suggesting that Gaspare�s die is some kind of �hobbing� (Abw�lzverfahren) die? I have not seen this exact ring in a finished condition, so what I posted was my best estimation. But if the body of the ring is the same gauge metal as the band portion. How was the ring made with only one die without something to push against to form the metal? For example: How would a stamping press make an automobile hood with curves from just one die. Without some kind of mirror image die to force the metal into the desired shape?
"From this angle of view compare stamping and casting. When I use my baby (german made 1934 press, which is approx 7000 pounds of iron,it uses electricity for few seconds for every item, and thats it, no more energy just hand job). Now compare with casting huge amounts of wasted energy (flask burnouts, which takes many many hours of very high temp in oven, wax melting, injection, energy for hand finishing tools etc) and materials wasted as investment, wax and so on. Think about this." Your �baby� (I like that)
sounds like one of the machines that were made to last a very long time - which is a good thing. Not like some of the ones today. I'm assuming that it is a conventional punch press - instead of a coining press (Pr�gemaschine)?
"I'll try to explain this thing. ....... �with modern casting equipment practically everybody can do casting in kitchen� ...... Actually versatility and available casting equipment are main reasons why die struck jewelry has been forgot." That�s certainly one of problems we have now. There are still a fair number of professional manufacturing jewelers who custom make rings which are cast. But we also have some schools that have classes for adults in casting and making jewelry as a hobby. With some of the students deciding to go into business for themselves with dishonest intentions.
Thank You for joining in on the discussion and sharing your knowledge and experience.
With my Best Regards, FP
Below: �Sameness�. (And yes, I cheated a little using the same nickel plated steel dagger chain link.) But I think the image is still a good example of what items that were die struck look like - which is all the same. With perhaps some occasional very minor imperfections, all alike from one dagger to the next by the same maker. And considering the fact that they were stamped from sheet steel not a softer metal. I think that the skulls and teeth look really good.
