ZANETTO ARTISTIC CRAFTSMANSHIP
Working Techniques
Our ability to work materials having such diverse characteristics, traits and required thicknesses in a single artisan workshop is a source of pride – there are few companies that can master the techniques and organize production so that they can offer their customers the same product in both silver-plate and sterling silver. Our expertise sets us apart on the market and provides evidence of our mastery of the craft.
The sheet is cut into disks or other shapes with different kinds of shears. The cut piece then goes on for pressing to get the rough outline; turning is the next stage using a lathe to produce a more refined shape. Contrary to what you may think, this phase requires physical strength and considerable mastery: in fact the machine only has the role of turning the piece at high speed while it is the man, with the aid of special tools, who gives the piece the shape. The piece is then worked entirely by hand.
With shearing we obtain holes, slits or open parts, as was the case for the Galleria collection. Probably a lot of our clients think that this work was done automatically but it is the craftsman who holds the piece in his hands and who gives it the right angle, pressing down on the pedal to bring the shears down: each blow a hole! Then with accurate trimming the end of the piece is defined and chamfered, using specials cutters or lapping machines. If hand soldered edges are not required then they are finished with special rollers.
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Hammering has different purposes: it can give the piece its final shape, it can harden the metal, it can flatten, it can eliminate faults and imperfections in the metal or it can have a particular decorative purpose: different hammers and tools are used depending on the work or effect desired; it is with the hammering that Zanetto achieves the widest form of artistic craftsmanship.
By chiselling we can make ribbing, sharp corners and decorations on the object: special hammers and burins are used for this. Handles, knobs, feet, rings and edges are soldered together using alloys containing silver. The majority of these additional pieces are made with the sand casting method.
All joints are perfect and guarantee resistance for life. Welding traces, porosity and imperfections are eliminated with lapping and sand papering: for this job, different shaped files, abrasive cloths and sandpapers are used.
After passing the last finishing steps, the object switches to polishing which requires, with our methods, three distinct phases for each object and three different types of materials used (abrasive pastes and canvas wheels): polishing is performed manually, without using mechanical robots and therefore guarantees a mirror finish.
Once polished, the object undergoes degreasing followed by galvanic treatment.
All the objects have our name punched on them and are accompanied by a guarantee certificate. Some works, selected such as the most typical and representative (our ‘Masterpieces’), are identified by: "numbered work".
Your Zanetto product will come with complimentary gift wrap in a signature Zanetto gift box.
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