getting 'lustre' from your nuggets

[Lanky]

I started a new topic on this as i hadn't seen this method mentioned in gold cleaning posts and this one is more for getting an amazing lustre. Not everyone likes this look, a mix is good.

I have only used this after alibrite/hydrosonic jewellery cleaner and/or hydrochloric so not sure if you would get the same result from scratch - probably would but it'd take much longer.

From the pics.

Grab a container with secure lid, fill partly with a bunch of the fine metal scraps you see (stainless steel), add detergent and shake gently while reading your favourite book! (ps. it can look dodgy shaking it in the car while driving....!!!). I shook this lot for a combined total of an hour i reckon.

You can see two standard cleaned nuggets (top right) compared to the 'shaken' ones - fair difference aye (& there was no loss in gold weight post shake fest). Might be handy for cleaning nugget jewellery.

stru

 

[Eldorado]

Nice job Stru,they certainly have some lustre.They look great.

 

[Gully]

Great idea thanks

 

[Brother]

Had this done to the gold bar I had made from a few grams of gold dust today! lol
I did a vid of the event, so will post it up in a few days.

I like the look, does a nice job on the nuggets I see! Just gota get some of them now
Awesome Stru, good share.

 

[Lesgold]

Well done stru. Almost a low tech tumbler. I want to turn my first nugget into a piece of jewellery for my mothers 80th. Was wondering how I could get a good shine on it. Thank for the info. It will be a very handy technique.

I hope that I'm not going too far off topic but a bit of advice and some thoughts would be appreciated. I want to solder a small gold ring onto the nugget shown below so that I can hang it on a chain. As you can see, the gold is quite pretty in its natural state. I am torn between leaving it as it is, polishing some of the rounded corners or totally cleaning and polishing the whole thing. Stru, your thoughts or comments from other PA members will help me in relation to the prep of the nugget.

Cheers

Les

 

[Lanky]

Hi Les,
Each to their own on this one but i reckon nuggets get more character as the nooks and crannies are revealed...and for jewellery pieces i think the more polished the better. My wife always like the pendant pieces as they came after standard cleaning with alibrite and jewellery cleaner etc BUT after seeing the result of the tumbler method she is keen to have them brought up like that. So i'd give your nugget a real good clean up...you might then need to consider 18ct chains or necklaces so the gold is equal brightness. good luck and show us the result

 

[Lesgold]

Cheers stru,

Thanks for that mate. Will do.

Les

 

[Tathradj]

Save your black sands from panning.
Stick the nugget with a bit of detergent in a sealed tumbler
and shake her up for a while checking the results.
Polish anything from a coin to a nugget.
Naturally. :Y: :Y: :Y:

 

[Lesgold]

NO, NO, NO. Please no more black sand. It has been giving me nightmares........

 

[Tathradj]

Love Black sand.
Got a certain look to it.
At least it tells me I am panning right.
:rainbow: :rainbow: :rainbow:
Got a certain luster to it.