Prong Pusher — The Bench Tool That Closes the Claws
Prong Pusher — The Bench Tool That Closes the Claws
Hardened steel hand tool used to bend prongs over a gemstone during setting
A prong pusher is a bench tool with a hardened steel tip used to bend prongs over a gemstone during the setting process. The pusher's angled or curved tip applies controlled pressure to fold each prong securely against the stone's crown or girdle without slipping or scratching the metal or the gem. Held like a pencil and pushed with firm steady force, the pusher is the principal tool for the closing operation in prong setting and is used by every working setter on essentially every prong-set piece they handle.
Construction
The standard prong pusher is a short steel handle, typically four to six inches long, with a hardened working tip at one end and a comfortable grip at the other. The tip is ground and polished to a specific shape: angled flat for general prong work, concave or curved for matching to the prong cross-section, or in specialised pushers shaped to specific prong styles. The hardened steel resists deformation under the pressure of working against precious metal and retains its working surface across many setting operations.
Sizes range from very small pushers for fine work on small stones up to substantial pushers for heavy prongs on large stones. The setter typically owns several pushers in different tip sizes and shapes, choosing the appropriate pusher for each setting operation. A well-equipped bench will have a half-dozen pushers in regular use, with additional specialist pushers for particular operations.
Use in setting
The prong pusher is brought into use after the gemstone has been seated in the head and the prongs have been cut to length and shaped. The setter places the pusher tip against the side of the prong, near the tip, and applies steady pressure inward and slightly downward to fold the prong over the stone. The motion is controlled and progressive; the prong moves a small distance with each stroke, and the setter checks the position before applying further pressure.
Setters typically work the prongs in opposite pairs, closing one prong slightly, then the opposite prong, then the next pair, and so on. The opposite-pair sequence keeps the stone centred and level in the head as the prongs close, avoiding the displacement that would result from closing one prong fully before starting the next. Once all prongs are partially closed, the setter goes around again to bring each prong fully down against the stone.
Pressure control
The principal skill in pusher work is pressure control. Too little pressure leaves the prong loose against the stone and risks the stone working free during wear. Too much pressure, particularly applied suddenly, can crack the gemstone (especially around fragile features such as princess corners or marquise points) or damage the prong itself by bending it past the stone's crown. The setter applies pressure progressively, checking the position of the prong against the stone after each application and stopping when the prong is firmly down against the crown.
The control comes from the wrist and the forearm rather than the shoulder. A practised setter holds the pusher near the tip, anchors the heel of the hand on the bench peg or the workpiece, and applies pressure through a small range of motion of the wrist. The technique allows fine control over the force applied and prevents the slipping that can occur with larger uncontrolled motions.
Bezel pushers and related tools
The prong pusher is closely related to the bezel pusher, used for closing bezel settings rather than prong settings. The two tools are similar in construction, with the bezel pusher generally having a wider and flatter working surface to match the continuous strip of metal in a bezel, and the prong pusher having a more pointed or concave tip for working against an individual prong. Many setters use the same tools interchangeably for both operations, with minor adjustments to technique.
Selection and maintenance
For new setters acquiring their first set of pushers, the standard recommendation is to start with two or three pushers of different tip sizes and add specialist shapes as the work demands them. Quality matters: a properly hardened pusher with a clean tip makes the work substantially easier than a soft or damaged pusher would. The pushers are maintained by occasional re-sharpening or polishing of the tip on a fine sharpening stone or polishing wheel; a well-maintained pusher lasts for many years of regular bench use.
In the trade
The prong pusher is one of the most-used tools on any working setter's bench, and competence with it is fundamental to the prong-setting craft. The combination of pressure control, sequencing of opposite prongs, and visual judgement of when each prong is properly down against the stone is what separates a clean securely set piece from a piece that looks rushed or that risks losing the stone.