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Daily Wire Tip Sept. 26: What’s a Girdled Cab?

By on September 25, 2010
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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
September 26, 2010

Question:

Dale, in reference to Sept 18’s Tip, Making a Wire Frame without a Girdle, what is a girdled cab?

-Rose in Riverview, Florida

Answer:

A girdle is what we call the edge or side of a stone, be it a cabochon or a faceted stone. A “girdled cab” is one that actually has sides, therefore making it easy to wire wrap. A lot of commercial cabs are made by machinery and have no girdle or side at all! Rather they go from their domed top directly to a flat back. Usually these are also highly polished, making it difficult to keep a wire frame on while you are fitting it. Cabochons handmade by lapidaries usually have a nice girdle. Most of the specialty cabochons carried by Wire-Sculpture have girdles as well.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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3 Comments

  1. avatar

    Joan

    September 27, 2010 at 11:03 am

    Excellent question! I was unclear on the girdle, no-girdle when I read the original post on 9/18. Thanks for clearing that up.

  2. avatar

    Alex

    September 27, 2010 at 1:53 pm

    I find that the arch of the sides is important. If the stone is high arched, where the dome is made so the top meets the side at a 90 degree angle, you are in trouble. If the stone is cut with a shallow dome and has a fairly acute angle, you will be fine.

  3. Pingback: Wire Wrapping Thick Stones with Little Girdles | Jewelry Making Instructions