pla·nish·ing | ˈpla-nishiŋ
verb
A hammering process done to give a smoother finish to a piece of metal
There are six common types of hammers used for shaping jewelry, each of them designed to help flatten, stretch, thin, or shape the metal to match the design requirements of the jeweler. Planishing is the act of smoothing a piece of metal and is the most important hammering type. The process involves using multiple hammer strikes, overlapping on the metal to smooth out the surface. A planishing hammer has two ends - one of them flat to smooth the metal, and the other rounded to help shape it. Often, planishing is used at the end of the jewelry making process to finalize the finish and surface of the precious metal on a piece of jewelry.
