Tumbling Chain Maille

What metals can I tumble?

I have tumbled sterling silver, stainless steel, copper and brass.

Using stainless steel shot the stainless steel chains will be burnished but not to a mirror shiny finish.

To get that finish on stainless you will need to use a different material instead of the shot.

I don't ever tumble trigger clasps or slider clasps as I think the liquid could degrade the inside springs.

What Stones Can I Tumble?

I avoid tumbling turquoise and pearls. Pearls can have their nacre damaged, and turquoise, being porous, might absorb liquid. I always tumble the chain before adding these stones.

Amber has worked fine for me, but I only tumbled it for about 20 minutes.

Glass and Swarovski crystals have also been safe. Harder stones like quartz and chalcedony seem to handle tumbling well.

If I'm unsure, I tumble one bead first as a test threaded onto scrap wire to prevent tiny steel balls from getting stuck inside.

How Long?

I usually tumble small batches to suit my workflow.

I check pieces after 30 40 minutes and add more time if needed. The total tumbling time depends on both the material and the volume you're working with.

How Do I Store It?

After tumbling, I rinse the barrel and the stainless steel shot.

Then I cover the shot with filtered water about an inch above the shot and keep it stored in the barrel, upright, with the lid tightened.

I don't dry the shot, and I've had no problems using the same batch for over 2 years.