Removing Resin

Step 1 - Put resin in heat resistant bowl. 

On occasion I have to "destroy" my resin pendants.  It could be for any reason. A book has had its copyright renewed. A pendant doesn't get enough views/sells.  It's an "oops" pendant that didn't turn out perfect or close to perfect.  Anything can happen.

On this instance it's all three.

But I don't have to let them sit around collecting dust, wasting renewal fees, or even - shudders - get thrown in the trash.

Step Two - Pour hot water over the bezels

Resin has one downside and anybody who has looked at most of my book page pendant listings on Etsy can figure it out.

Hot Water.

Wait? What?

 

Step Four - Use tweezers to remove bezel from water

Step Three - Cover the Bowl (This traps in the heat)

Step Five- Insert sharp object between bezel and resin

Hot water can soften up the resin.  It can indent the resin.  It can even soften it up enough where I can take a sharp, pointy fingernail file, letter opener, or - not recommended - a sharp knife.

Sometimes the resin will come out but not the paper

Step Six - If possible, slide sharp object under resin

It doesn't have to be boiling.  Think about it.  You'll be removing the metal bezel from the water and then touching it as you pry that sharp object between the metal and the resin, hoping to slide it between the two and then underneath the resin.

 
And no. It's not as easy as that.  Sometimes you have to put it in the water for longer. You might even have to change out the water two or three or even four times.  Once the bezel, resin, or water starts cooling down the resin will harden back up.

But once that resin is out you can reuse them.  After some cleaning up of course.

Alicia

Empty Bezels and the resin