Question:
A little while ago I purchased some semi-antique 12mm crystal beads. Some
of them are chipped around the holes. I thought if I knotted them bead
caps would
protect the cord. However, I am in a quandary as to what size bead cap
would
fit over the end of the 12mm bead. Also, are there any suggestion as to
where I
could buy the caps in sterling??
Answer:
-A 12 mm bead cap--try Nina Beads for Balinese beads--they have awesome
ones!
-I can't answer your question about the bead caps, but I can tell
you that there is a tool out there for smoothing the openings of chipped
beads. You can buy a kit with both a bead reamer and a...um....chip
smoother . They are both "diamond" tools. The reamer looks like a
rough-surfaced awl. The smoother looks like a short, fat drill on a stick
(only the top is conical, no twists). You insert this tool into the end of
the chipped bead and gently twirl it to smooth rough edges.
-The only place I know of that sells sterling bead caps is Rio Grande. You
can use small caps with larger beads and they still look nice for instance
I have used ones with a 6mm diameter on beads as large as 14mm and found
it to work nicely. Of course this was a cap that was rather shallow.
-We have both available in one mail-order kit for $20 plus S&H. More info from beads...@aol.com, or on our website at http://www.sungate.com/beadsfob
