How to Smooth Sharp Edges of Broken Crystal Prisms

Crystal prisms are often used as parts of chandeliers or for beadwork for jewelry or decorative arts. Because the prisms are often thick, they tend to resist breaking, but, occasionally, a crystal prism will become damaged. For a chandelier, the prism may be a unique shape that is no longer available or replacing the crystal may be outside of your budget, which makes removing the sharp edges your best bet.

Things You'll Need

• Small leather-lined vise
• Emery cloth (with cloth backing) 60 grit, medium and coarse
• Sanding block

Instructions

1. Position the crystal prism in a small leather-lined vise. You want the vise to grip the crystal just hard enough to hold it firmly but not enough to damage the crystal.

2. Insert emery cloth (coarse grit) in a sanding block. Sand with the plane of the crystal. The emery cloth will dull or blunt the sharp edges.

3. Sand the crystal with the coarse grit emery cloth until the relative shape you want is achieved. Remove the coarse grit cloth and insert a medium grit cloth. Continue sanding the crystal, refining the shape until it is in good shape.

4. Polish the crystal with a 60-grit emery cloth inserted into the sanding block. Polish all sides of the crystal to match. The fine grit will produce a nice gloss and will also assist in removing any visible scratches.

Tips & Warnings

• Pay attention to the planes of the crystal and keep the sanding block from curving around the piece as you sand.

References

• Traditional Leaded Glass Crafting: Projects & Techniques; Vicki Payne; 2005