Please help
Hi! I’m 21(f) and i recently got an apprenticeship to be a jeweler 2 and a half months ago and honestly i’m struggling. I can do simple sizing and chain repairs but I’m having a really difficult time polishing rings. Every time I use the sandpaper or flat lap, there are still scratches before getting to the gray star. I’m feeling really discouraged and i don’t want to be the reason we are behind on shipping out repairs, especially when the holidays get here. I don’t know if i’m missing steps or not taking long enough(ironically it feels like I’m on a single ring forever) and i’m getting really disheartened at not knowing what i’m doing wrong. My manager will tell me small things but for some reason it’s just not clicking on what i need to do and I feel dumb for not getting it.
I finally feel like i’m in a career that i’m passionate about and i know it takes time to learn and be a master but if I can’t polish a ring then what am I even doing? I don’t want my coworkers and manager feel like they have to pick up my slack and i don’t want to be a burden to my shop.
Can i please get some advice on what to do/steps to follow/ tools to use that are effective in getting cosmetic issues out of the way before polish? (or on being an apprentice/jeweler in general)If anyone can give me some advice it would be greatly appreciated :(