Revealing the secrets of jadeite processing

“If jade is not carved, it will not become a useful object.” From raw material to finished product, a piece of jade jewelry goes through about 10 steps of processing.

1. Jade material analysis - material inspection

(1) A thorough analysis of color is required.

Based on the color trend, distribution, area size, extension, hue, color and transparency, it can be judged whether it is suitable for making certain accessories.

(2) Analysis of texture

Observe the jade grain (i.e. the direction of crystal arrangement), observe the relationship between color and grain, and whether it grows against the grain or with the grain.

(3) Crack analysis

Observe for cracks. If there are any, first look at the direction of the large cracks, then look for small cracks and their relationship with the color, and then decide on the use of the raw materials. For goods without cracks that can be made into plain goods, first consider whether they can be made into bracelets, and then consider other plain goods, such as egg-shaped ones, plain plaques, peace buckles, etc. Those with cracks are used to make decorative pieces and carvings.

2. Opening the stone

It refers to the first cut of the stone. After careful observation and judgment, you can start cutting the stone. The main method of cutting the stone is to cut along the grain or along the direction of the main crack.

3. Slicing

After the first cut, further "slicing" is done based on the color, crack distribution, and water head conditions. The thickness of the slice is determined by two factors.

(1) It is determined by the length of the water head (i.e. how deep the transparency extends). Materials with high transparency can be used to make thicker ornaments, such as egg-shaped surfaces and plain plaques.

(2) The shape of the product must also be considered. Different shapes of products require different thicknesses. For example, the thickness of a bracelet is usually required to be around 8mm.

(3) For full-color materials, it is even more necessary to test to find out what the best thickness is. The fastest way is to make a small plain ring face, start along the crack, and then start a piece in a corner to see how much water the material can withstand and what the appropriate thickness is. Some jade raw materials, if they are a little thicker, will "tighten water", the color will be dark, the green color will not come out, the light transmittance is also poor, the color will be dull and lifeless. The situation may be completely different if they are cut thinner.

4. Design graphics

According to the color distribution of the whole piece, how to design the shape of the goods to be manufactured "according to the color and avoiding cracks" is a key step in determining whether you can make money. There are two principles for designing the shape of the goods.

(1) Design the product in accordance with the material: that is, design the product in accordance with the material’s shape, color distribution, quality, water head and other characteristics to achieve the best effect.

(2) Construction based on market demand: guided by market demand, consider what kind of design will have the highest efficiency.

5. Cutting

Use thallium to cut out the outline of the jade piece, trying to retain the largest volume possible.

6. Light embryo

Grind the cut pieces with a grinding wheel

7. Polishing

Sanding is the process of polishing with sand, initially with coarse grit and gradually with finer grit.

8. Water discharge

That is the polishing process. Generally, leather or cowhide is used to polish the surface of the jade until it is shiny.

9. Lime acid

The purpose is to remove the stains acquired during the processing, which includes two steps. The first step is to rinse with sour plums, and the second step is to rinse with ash water.

(1) Sour plums: Sour plums are a kind of organic weak acid. The purpose of sour plums is to wash away stains from the processing process.

(2) Washing with ash water: Ash is an alkaline substance. Initially, straw ash was mixed with water (now some people use soap powder and boiling water) and used to wash the finished jade for several hours. The purpose was to remove some oil stains from the processing without damaging the internal structure.

10. Waxing

The final step in processing jade is to give the finished product a smooth surface, increase its reflectivity and prevent dirt from seeping in. There are generally two methods of waxing:

(1) Stewing wax: Melt Sichuan wax (white) in a container and place it in a pot. Stew it for several hours so that the liquid wax can penetrate into the pits and micro-cracks on the surface of the jade.

(2) Spraying wax: For larger carvings, you can heat the finished jadeite in an oven (to a temperature of around 70-80 degrees Celsius), then spray some Sichuan wax on it or apply snow-like wax powder on it.

Then clean and wax it, and wipe off the wax on the surface with a towel or bamboo stick. At this point, the entire jade processing process is completed.

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