Lentil ends

[Pat from Canvey]

Advice please. Should lentil ends be in a C shape or flat. If flat, the ends where they join the mandrel would be very thin.

[afina]

Pat, that depends on the press you are using. The "classic" lentil has the C-shape, but there are newer ones with a flat end.

[Kaz]

Advice please. Should lentil ends be in a C shape or flat. If flat, the ends where they join the mandrel would be very thin.

For jewellery making I prefer them to have the C shape but not so pronounced that the bead does not actually resemble a lentil. The indent should be nicely rounded not sharp.
Zooziis have a straight sided lentil which is more like a button shape and the ends on those beads should be straight.
Kaz

[Shirley]

I think the C shape on some presses is really ugly, even if filled with a spacer. I have heard of people who press and then use stringer to tart up the ends.

[Dragonfire Glass]

Can't stand C shaped holes - looks unfinished to me.
I prefer mine to be in line with the bead 

[*rowanberry*]

You can press it so the C shape is less pronounced and ends up looking more like a dimple than a C shape, I do it when the glass is a little cooler than I would normally press and press from a round shape and not a rugby ball shape. I have found that slightly over-filling helps too.

[Dragonfire Glass]

yes, I get better ends pressing from a rounder shape 

[Kaz]

Me too - and always add glass to the middle before re-pressing rather than the ends as you want to push it outwards from the middle.
Kaz