These two photos show a before-and-after set (backfilled, wiped while toothpaste was still damp, then dried), and then a set I completely finished. That is, after the initial cleaning just after applying the toothpaste, I did a second cleaning with a damp rag.

The last step (one row of beads) was going back with a tiny specialty brush and really cleaning the black glass, and then polishing the beads with my Foredom buffer.

It's been a partial success, and perhaps if I were a less messy maker, I would have had better results.

The post below shows the buffer and a pack of the tiny brushes. I think I bought them on a website called ILash for a couple bucks. (I got three different sizes.) The brushes are very useful for tiny tasks.

Was it worth it? What do YOU think, from the comparison pic & the final pic?

Yes, in that I'll keep these beads in my collection. But I probably wouldn't use them in my jewelry-making. Even after thoroughly drying, even a quick soaking (rain, splashed water, etc.) would soften the toothpaste enough to loosen it.

Though time will tell! :^)