Create Brushed Finish on Sterling Silver

The third finish for sterling silver is very similar to the satin finish , however you will need to use more aggressive means to obtain the desired effect. The brushed look, features a finish with more distinctive lines. You can use many things to create this look, by hand you could use an emery board or a nail file, course steel wool pads, a ball of aluminum foil or any other course metal or abrasive material.

I suggest either working at your bench, where you can clean up any metal shavings that may come off, or work at a table with some newspaper to catch the shavings. Take the piece you’d like to brush, and make sure to brush all sides.  If it slides around, feel free to put a small amount of looped tape on your surface, so that one side sticks to the surface and the other side to your piece, this helps keep it steady while you brush it.

Be careful with gold vermeile as it is sterling silver that is been plated with 14kt gold, because of this be wary of using any aggressive finishing techniques as the gold may come off.

When creating your own brushed finish, you can choose the exact amount of brushing you desire. If you’re looking for a more defined look than satin, but not as rough as a hard brush, you can run your completed piece through a steel wool pad, or a 3M pad.  This will give it slightly more edge than your regular satin finish, or you can brush each individual piece and then put them all together.  Be sure to think of the small things which will really bring the whole design together. Pieces that are often forgotten are components like jump rings , clasps or bails, these are parts that, if brushed, will complete the look. Remember to mix it up, and have fun with your design!