Jewelry Tools by Miland
http://jewelrytoolsbymiland.com/
Miland Suess designs and handcrafts specialized metal forming tools for silversmiths, wire artists, beaders and jewelry repair. Artisans tell us that Miland's unique hand tools clearly save them time and effort while increasing their creativity, capabilities and quality. Each tool comes with a 90-day money-back guarantee and a lifetime warranty.
THE TOOLS ...
Synclastics: Puts two curvatures into flat stock simultaneously without marring. Create a bracelet in minutes, not hours. Also makes rings, bangles and is indispensable in doing jewelry repair.
THE MAN
Miland Suess watched and listened to artisans who were using metal forming tools that have not improved for thousands of years. He then went to work designing, testing and manufacturing a series of time-saving jewelry tools that his customers love because they work.
THE TOOLS...
Anti-Clastics: Similar to the Synclastic tools but produces a concave curve instead of a convex curve. Previously you had to use a dapping tool which was time consuming and did not produce a fine, finished product.
Miland has been an innovator and inventor since he was a child. After working as a Harley-Davidson motorcycle mechanic in his teens, he served in the U.S. Navy as a rear gunner on a Curtis SB2C Hell Diver dive bomber during WWII. Miland married in 1946 and settled in Chicago to raise 5 children. He worked there for 20 years as a well respected Lincolnwood Police Sergeant, saving lives and putting crooks behind bars. As Miland states with a smile: "I used to be in a business where the customer was often wrong. Now I am in a business where the customer is always right."
THE TOOLS...
Dimplers: Puts precise, circular indentations and domes into metal for decorative purposes. Partial indentations can also be achieved by using the tool on the edge of the metal as shown in picture on the right.
After retiring from the police department, Miland began designing and manufacturing hand tools for electricians and metal workers and continued doing so after moving to Arizona in 1984. In 1996, he was approached by a professional jeweler who expressed the need for a specialized tool to form compound curves into metal. In response, Miland designed and patented his first jewelers tool (The "Synclastic" tool, U.S. Patent number 5,513,513) and went on to design and manufacture over a dozen jewelry making tools and jewelry repair tools. Besides designing and manufacturing jewelry tools, Miland also restores classic vehicles including a 1957 Thunderbird, a 1949 Cadillac, and a 1947 Indian Chief Motorcycle. People who have met Miland appreciate his ingenuity, integrity, friendliness and sense of humor.
THE TOOLS...
Double Cylinder Ring Makers: Two different sized cylinders are used to put medium radius curves into flat metal stock and wire. Result can easily be resized on a mandrel. Perfect for making rings, earrings and children's bracelets
THE TOOLS...
Texture Hammers: Textures flat metal and wire. Three different faces are available. The back end is flat and polished, like having two hammers in one. The beautiful patterns these hammers put into metal have to be seen to be appreciated.
There are video demos of all of the tools at: http://www.jewelrytoolsbymiland.com
You can contact Miland at:
Jewelry Tools by Miland
Toll Free: (877) 463-8046
MilandTools@aol.com
...and be sure to check in with him at the Tucson Electric Park venue at the Tucson Gem Show this February – look for him in the “Tool Tent”! There are usually new tools that aren’t available on the website and texture hammers that he is experimenting with. Miland also make tools to meet your custom specs!
