Lead Up A Diamond

How To Lead Up A Diamond

Here are two different ways to lead up a diamond. Although these demonstrations use a bevel, the techniques will work for a diamond cut from any glass.

Technique One

1. Cut two lengths of lead about 2 inches longer than the sides of the diamond. Mark the center of each piece of lead.

2. Cut a notch where you marked the center. It will take a little practice to get the notch the right size. It is better to cut it smaller than you think it should be. That way you can trim it if you need to. If you make the notch too large, the edges won't meet when it's on the diamond, causing a gap.

3. Bend the lead so that both edges of the notch meet. Once the lead is bent, it should slide on the diamond and fit snuggly. The edges of the notch should touch and look like a miter cut.

4. If you are using a bevel, mark the ridges on the bevel that come out to the side points. This will help you see them better and it will also help in cutting the correct angles on the lead. if you are using a diamond the isn't a bevel, draw a line from side point to side point. You don't have to do this, but it makes cutting the angles easier, especially when this is a new technique for you.

5. Slide the lead over the bevel, making sure it fits snuggly. Mark the lead, following the lines you just marked on the diamond. Take the lead off the diamond and cut it on the outside edge of the lines. The lead will be cut on an angle that will match the bevel's angle,and the two pieces of lead will meet and form perfect points.

6. Follow steps 2-5 with the other piece of lead. Make sure you know which piece is for the top and which is for the bottom, as most bevels are not precisely cut and have uneven sides. Also, remember which side is facing up (for the same reason). Now you can slide both pieces of lead on the bevel and they should fit like a glove. Sometimes you'll have to do a bit of trimming to get the corners to butt together smoothly. Once the bevel is soldered in place you won't be able to tell which point was notched and which was cut straight through.

I trim off the sharp points on the sides. Then they will blend in with the lead joining them, and they will look the same as the top and bottom points.

Technique Two

Technique two takes a different approach to lead up a diamond. You might find it a bit easier than technique one. Here's how it's done. Thanks to my son, these pictures explain it so well that I don't need to write anything.