Modifications, repairs, & beautification options [painting] for Ficcares and fakkares

[eve nightfall]

Rowie, it is great that you show the whole progress!
I am loving it! Rags should link such informative postings into the index of the Ficcare Library!
I am looking foreward to your next steps!

I remember some modifications with fabric in this thread (at the very beginnig)
I think it is a chance to use one Clip with lots of different designs because you could remove them quick and change them for example with a hook and pile fastender (needed to look that up in a dictionary )

[Willowyn]

Rowie, I do so wish I'd known about using a candle to remove crystals!! When I did it, I was able to pop some of the crystals out with the edge of a tiny screwdriver, but even after soaking them with nail polish remover, many of them required brute force. Took me two days to strip a medium clip, and some of the crystals were literally crushed in the process!! Oh, and you're right. Eye protection is mandatory. Those babies can (and do) FLY!

[rowie]

Yikes. That was a lot of work.

So when it's time to place the new crystals, how do you do that? What kind of adhesive do you use?

You ask lots of good questions dear. You can use tweezers to place them into the sockets. Adhesives i'd say will depend on the type of swarovski crystals you are getting. If you are getting the foiled back crystals super glue will suffice, however if you are getting the non foiled back crystals then you need a glue that won't discolors when it dries. You can use preferably a type of jewelers superglue that dries out clear meant for crystals and stones.

Here it is: http://www.langhaarnetzwerk.de/phpBB...63749#p2463749

Rowie, excellent progress, I'm excited to see what you'll achieve!

Thanks! I'm excited as well! I remember that link you shared. The person who modded that piece was surprise "Dramaqueen". Fortunately I learned a lot of her techniques when she was doing all kinds of crystal mods so the techniques for removing the crystals are appropriately credited to her.

Rowie, it is great that you show the whole progress!
I am loving it! Rags should link such informative postings into the index of the Ficcare Library!
I am looking foreward to your next steps!

Awww thanks! It's a pleasure to share what i'm going through since i'm not a crafty person in the first place. If there are any other people like me who owns some spare diamond pieces and would like different colors (perhaps a rainbow one), then I hope this will help them a little. But please remember that my techniques applies only to the "Anitque Silver" kind. Had this been a shiny silver or a shiny gold, I would perhaps take a more slightly different route and methodology.

Rowie, I do so wish I'd known about using a candle to remove crystals!! When I did it, I was able to pop some of the crystals out with the edge of a tiny screwdriver, but even after soaking them with nail polish remover, many of them required brute force. Took me two days to strip a medium clip, and some of the crystals were literally crushed in the process!! Oh, and you're right. Eye protection is mandatory. Those babies can (and do) FLY!

Really?!?! Wow no wonder you had mentioned earlier in the Ficcare thread that you'd never attempt this again. Still, your techniques are unique and I appreciated that you shared them especially since your piece came out fabulous looking in the end.

Adiro: Thanks for visiting as usual. It's such a pleasure to see you at times and congrats on your emerald ficci piece from darling Vivianne. It looks magnificent on your hair. Enjoy!


Time to write up my cleaning phase update......

[rowie]

The Cleaning Phase

This is my final preparation for getting this piece ready for the sample swarovski crystals i've ordered. I could of removed some of the glue while I was removing the crystals, but I figured i'd break it down into different phases just to be organized with my planning. Please remember that this method only applies to the "Antique Silver" model. If this were the shiny silver or shiny gold models I would of used slightly different methods in order to preserve the original finishes accordingly. Still this is the most essential step that shouldn't be ignored. The removal of the leftover glue ensures that when your crystals arrives, you'll be able to get an accurate fitting. Most importantly, you want your crystals to all sit the same and not have one sit higher than the other because of leftover glue, making your piece look less professionally done.

Materials I used for the removal of leftover glue or what I call "filaments" are my trusty handy vintage glass pin, a dental pic, retired old tooth brush for the final cleaning phase, microfiber clothes. Glasses or any eye gear for protection is crucial for this phase. In addition, for the washing phase you'll need a small dish to hold some baking powder for use.



you can easily tell if a socket has left over glue. If it isn't obvious you can move the piece around and if it sparkles, then you know you have some glue that needs to removed from the socket. They usually pop out. If some are stubborn you can get out your candle and use it to soften it to make it easier.



They generally come out in one piece if you get the torc right with your pin or dental pic.



They look like crystals from the side. LOL





After you spent some time putting lots of elbow grease with the removal of the filaments, you are now ready to wash the piece as an extra precaution to remove any leftover debris. I want to make sure my piece will be ready for trying out those crystals i've ordered. Ok so in this phase you need a small dish to hold some baking powder. I chose baking powder as it is a natural and gentle cleaning agent that won't strip away the "antique" finish of this piece.



Dip the tooth brush in your warm solution of baking powder. Brush gently! you don't want to accidentally remove the antique finish! then wash the piece thoroughly with lukewarm water.



Dry the piece thoroughly, including the hinge, everywhere so rust won't form. Peekaboo!



All done! Awwww isn't she pretty! So happy I preserved as much of her antique color. She is all nice and clean and ready to be dressed up. I plan to leave her with her cloth on just to ensure she dries properly.

[eve nightfall]

How perfect it looks! You are doing great!

Yes, I have to tell you that it is a little different experience with a crystal clear. I started the process today.
I tried the candle method and some jumped out like popcorn others did fall out like seeds from a flower. But some let the silver foil back in the clip. I have some left for tomorrow and tried to bath it with acetone now. We will see if that helps to remove the foil and the glue. Otherwise I try the natron idea!
The turquoises have no foil so I think that part is a little bit easier with them.
I don't want to imagine how hard it must be to extract the smaller crystals. I am happy that I have the bigger ones!

[rowie]

How perfect it looks! You are doing great!

Yes, I have to tell you that it is a little different experience with a crystal clear. I started the process today.
I tried the candle method and some jumped out like popcorn others did fall out like seeds from a flower. But some let the silver foil back in the clip. I have some left for tomorrow and tried to bath it with acetone now. We will see if that helps to remove the foil and the glue. Otherwise I try the natron idea!
The turquoises have no foil so I think that part is a little bit easier with them.
I don't want to imagine how hard it must be to extract the smaller crystals. I am happy that I have the bigger ones!

I definitely agree with you! Yes the candle method works perfectly for the antique finish models. you can still use it for the other models, but you have to be really careful and constantly wiping out as soon as you finish heating a particular area. For the shiny silver model I would have gone the mason jar filled with pure acetone route. Acetone is strong and I was afraid to use that in the antique silver models, which is why I went the candle route. Gold shiny is a different story.....

Goodluck Eve! So happy you are joining me. Now I have to be patient and wait for my crystals to arrive. At least i'm happy that when they arrive I'll have fun trying them on. That phase will be the most difficult for me I think.

[Viola88]

Eeep! That ficcare gives me the shivers. I think I have a bit of trypophobia. I don't like looking at lotus seed pods or those frogs that tote their tadpoles in holes on their backs either. Hurry up and put some crystals in those holes

[rowie]

Eeep! That ficcare gives me the shivers. I think I have a bit of trypophobia. I don't like looking at lotus seed pods or those frogs that tote their tadpoles in holes on their backs either. Hurry up and put some crystals in those holes

Ok I now know who to call if USPS delays my crystals (knocks on wood). Still, you have a vivid imagination. In honor of your vivid thoughts I just had to do this:



Thank you Vivianne for gifting me this sound making frog. He's adorable and I never knew until now that he has a wonderful ability to showcase ficcares.

[Willowyn]

Rowie, I'm so IMPRESSED!! That's going to be awesome.

Any hints on removing crystals from a medium Glittery Tortoise Primavera? I actually sold my first one of these clips because I didn't like the topaz crystals in my hair, but I recently acquired another one, and I'd really like to keep it and replace the crystals with ones I'd prefer. The problem is that I don't know what method I can use that will prevent damage to the enamel (not an issue with a diamond mod).

I'm also on the fence between 20pp and 21pp Swarovski crystals (looking at light colorado, light smokey topaz, and smokey quartz - all "cooler" brown tones). The crystals currently on the clip are larger than the ones on my Glittery Gold Primavera, and I like the smaller ones better, so I thought either of those sizes would work. Here's a side by side of the two clips with different crystal sizes. Thanks in advance for any advice.
[IMG][/IMG]

[Anje]

Eeep! That ficcare gives me the shivers. I think I have a bit of trypophobia. I don't like looking at lotus seed pods or those frogs that tote their tadpoles in holes on their backs either. Hurry up and put some crystals in those holes

Off-topic: Trypophobia must have been a word of the day somewhere today? My hubby just told me that he has it.