Czech Glass Druk 6mm Round Crackle Topaz (50)

Item: Czech Glass Beads Measurements: 6mm Style: Round/ Crackle Finish In Color: Topaz Quantity: Pack of 50 Czech glass beads contain no lead. Because Czech glass druk beads are produced in smaller quantities, colors may vary slightly by lot—so be sure to purchase enough to complete your project. To make a druk bead the end of a long rod of glass cane is heated in a gas furnace until it is red hot. It is then inserted into a pressing machine which resembles and old fashioned sewing machine. The molten glass is quickly pressed into a mold while a needle is simultaneously inserted to form the hole. Only a few beads can be pressed before the rod must be heated again; therefore, the bead maker alternates between multiple heated glass canes in order to produce continuously. The pressed glass cools slowly as it makes its way down a slide and into a holding container. At this point the pressings do not resemble beads at all; they are still connected together by the excess glass surrounding the edges of the beads. The beads then go through two-stages of tumbling; one which breaks off the large pieces of excess glass and another which smooths out surface imperfections.