# Basic metalworking operations: cutting, filing, bending, annealing…

> Basic jewelry metalworking operations defined one by one, with the Spanish term: cutting, piercing, filing, bending, annealing, forging, doming and riveting.

- Source: https://www.711grados.com/en/basic-metalworking-operations/
- Language: en
- Note: This entry was drafted with the help of AI and is pending review by the author.
- Published: 2026-07-07
- Updated: 2026-07-08
- Translation (es): https://www.711grados.com/es/operaciones-basicas-del-metal/
- Author: Sandra Sánchez
- Site: 711 Grados (https://www.711grados.com/)

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Beginners need to know what **annealing** or **piercing** mean before opening a tutorial. These are the operations that repeat on any bench, with the Spanish term.

## Removing material

- **Cutting (cortar):** separating metal with shears or a saw.
- **Piercing / sawing (calar):** cutting shapes, including interior ones, with the [jeweler's saw](https://www.711grados.com/en/jewelers-saw/). See [sawing](https://www.711grados.com/en/sawing-and-piercing/). In English *pierce* means sawing, not punching a hole.
- **Filing (limar):** removing metal with a [file](https://www.711grados.com/en/jewelers-files/) to shape and smooth.
- **Sanding (lijar):** refining the surface with abrasive paper of ever finer grit. See [filing and sanding](https://www.711grados.com/en/filing-and-sanding/).
- **Drilling (taladrar):** making a hole with a drill bit, by hand or with a flex shaft.
- **Punching (perforar):** making a hole with a punch; also, more generally, going through the metal.

## Shaping without removing material

- **Bending (doblar):** forming an angle. **Curving (curvar):** forming a curve. See [bending, curving and twisting](https://www.711grados.com/en/bending-curving-and-twisting/).
- **Straightening (enderezar):** returning a deformed piece to flat or straight, with a mallet or pliers.
- **Hammering (martillar):** striking the metal to harden, lengthen or texture it. See [hammers and mallets](https://www.711grados.com/en/jewelers-hammers-and-mallets/).
- **Planishing (aplanar):** smoothing and hardening a surface with polished hammers over a stake.
- **Drawing (estirar):** lengthening a wire by pulling it through a [draw plate](https://www.711grados.com/en/draw-plate/). See [rolling and wire drawing](https://www.711grados.com/en/rolling-and-wire-drawing/).
- **Forging (forjar):** shaping metal with blows, sometimes hot. See [forging](https://www.711grados.com/en/forging-and-hammering/).
- **Doming / dapping (embutir):** forming a sheet into a dome or cup. See [doming](https://www.711grados.com/en/sinking-raising-and-dapping/).
- **Repoussé (repujar):** pushing the metal from the back to form relief. See [chasing and repoussé](https://www.711grados.com/en/chasing-and-repousse/).

## Changing the state of the metal

- **Annealing (recocer):** heating the metal to a controlled temperature and cooling it to restore the malleability it lost with working. See [annealing](https://www.711grados.com/en/annealing-metal/).
- **Texturing (texturizar):** giving the surface a texture. See [texturing](https://www.711grados.com/en/texturing-metal-surfaces/).

## Joining

- **Riveting (remachar):** joining pieces with a rivet, without solder. See [cold connections](https://www.711grados.com/en/cold-connections-rivets/).

## How they fit together

A common order: **cut → pierce → file → bend → anneal → solder → sand → polish.** Metal hardens when hammered, bent or drawn, and has to be annealed so you can keep working without cracks. See [basic metallurgy](https://www.711grados.com/en/basic-metallurgy-for-jewelers/).