Andy Cooperman

Andy Cooperman blends techniques from different smithing traditions. In his words "We benefit from the explorations and innovations of countless generations of smiths--from goldsmiths and silversmiths to blacksmiths and tinkers--who built the foundations of metalsmithing and our innovations continue that tradition of discovery."

Using many techniques from blacksmithing, his examples have become important in my research. many of his rings are forged from the ingot and not rolled to shape the way a goldsmith would normally make a ring.

http://www.andycooperman.com




Here's the groom's ring. 14k rose gold, forged and fabricated from an ingot. The little "rivet" detail is 14k white gold. Below are some images of the fabrication. Right to left: The ingot forged into a blank. Annealing. Using the ring bender to shape the stubborn and thick gold. This last image shows how the "tail" of the forging is notched so that it sits smoothly atop the rest of the ring.

Lily test in silver

I forged the lily shape in silver, starting from a bar ingot. All forming and finishing was done with hammer and anvil/steel block.

It occurred to me as I was working that I have ventured into the domain of the silversmith so I will investigate where skills overlap from the disciplines of the silversmith, goldsmith and blacksmith.

I think the main difference may be that a silversmith would start with sheet metal, cut a basic shape and then form it, where I'm starting with the blank, forging the flat shape and then shaping it.

I would like to bring my hammering techniques up to a point where all finishing is done with a polished hammer face and steel block. Then I'd like to add elements made in a more traditionally jewellery fashion, filling, sanding, setting and polishing to counterbalance the hammered finish.

I'm also going to look at making paper preforms and rolling them to see what exact shape I should be forging toward in the flat stage.