Can a Jewelry Tumbler Burnish Findings? Expert Advice

Question
Dear  Ms. Eilersen,

Would you please tell me :

Will a tumbler burnish hand made jewelry findings such as ear wires and jump rings, made from dead soft or half hard wire  so that they are as good as store- bought?  Which one/s are the best buy ?

Sharing your hard earned knowledge with a stranger like me is a lovely gift and I would like you to know how much I appreciate your doing so. It takes time and effort to help  -I know.  it is all the more valuable for this fact.

Thank you! 😊

Answer
Yes you can tumble small items in a tumbler, wallnut shells & tide or red jewelers rouge are what we used to use, but not both at the same time, first tide and then walnutshells & rouge, the shells were in tiny chips, and we used a sive to sort them when they were finished, then put the items in an ultrasonic cleaner , then rinsed them.
As to softmetal, the harder it is, usually the longer it lasts, However if a lot of stress or bending is involved it's best to strike a happy medium.  Too hard will be brittle, too soft will wear out too fast. That is why 14k gold is so popular, it is 58.5 % pure gold.
So, with that said, you need to trust your source to be accurate with the quality of the metal mix, or do it yourself.
I can recommend Stuller settings in Louisiana, they have excelent quality, and have always stood behind their products. They may not be the cheapest, but you get what you pay for.
I hope this information helps.
Chris