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#1
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Hand made earwires
Hi
I am wondering if anyone can help me. I would love to know to make earwires by hand. I recently purchased a wigjig Delphi and it's fabulous! I am creating wires in exactly the shape I require. However, it has taken much experimentation (and money!) with wire gauges and different types (half hard/dead soft) to achieve the style I have been after. I am very excited about it except I cannot figure out how to hammer the wire without marking it! Help! Does this just come with practice? I have a chasing hammer, a small planishing block and a nylon hammer. I have been using 18-20 gauge gold filled wire but it marks terribly when I try to hammer the end and the curve that goes through the ear. Little nicks which I assume is the edge of the hammer denting it. If I use the nylon hammer, it doesn't flatten the wire and thats the look I would like. I have read that it is still hardening it however. I also am not sure what type of wire to use. Obviously, the dead soft wire shapes like a dream but the half hard wire doesn't haold the earwire shape so well. Should I exagerate the bend when using half hard or should I be using dead soft and hammering? If I do not hammer dead soft wire, is it a little unreliable in holding its shape for earwires? Any help and advice woul dbe gratefully recieved!! Thanks!!! :-) |
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#2
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Hand made earwires
On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 08:29:09 -0800, Cognition Studios
wrote: Hi I am wondering if anyone can help me. I would love to know to make earwires by hand. I recently purchased a wigjig Delphi and it's fabulous! I am creating wires in exactly the shape I require. However, it has taken much experimentation (and money!) with wire gauges and different types (half hard/dead soft) to achieve the style I have been after. I am very excited about it except I cannot figure out how to hammer the wire without marking it! Help! Does this just come with practice? I have a chasing hammer, a small planishing block and a nylon hammer. I have been using 18-20 gauge gold filled wire but it marks terribly when I try to hammer the end and the curve that goes through the ear. Little nicks which I assume is the edge of the hammer denting it. If I use the nylon hammer, it doesn't flatten the wire and thats the look I would like. I have read that it is still hardening it however. I also am not sure what type of wire to use. Obviously, the dead soft wire shapes like a dream but the half hard wire doesn't haold the earwire shape so well. Should I exagerate the bend when using half hard or should I be using dead soft and hammering? If I do not hammer dead soft wire, is it a little unreliable in holding its shape for earwires? Any help and advice woul dbe gratefully recieved!! Thanks!!! :-) I use half-hard without any problems, but I don't want the flat look. For one thing, that's the sure sign of cheap earwires -- less metal. Flattening half-hard is going to take a lot of hammering and probably an anvil intead of a planishing block. What you haven't mentioned is taking the rough edge off the end that goes through the ear and I use a sort of mini version of a Dremel for that. However, I don't make earwires unless I want something very specific because when I count the value of my time, it's a lot cheaper just to buy them. -- Marilee J. Layman http://mjlayman.livejournal.com |
#3
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Hand made earwires
Hi Marilee
Thanks for your reply. I didn't mention taking taking off the rough bits from the ends of the wire as I am fine with this. I have a cup bur and a very fine file that works a treat. My problems lie in the hammering. I too do not favour the flat look. I feel that this can cheapen the look of a peice. However, I recently saw some handmade hammered earwires and they looked very sophisticated. It's hard to explain as I do not have the picture but it's somewhere in-between. Slightly hammered on the ends (obviously purely for design) and lightly hammered on the curve that sits within the ear. I am definitely not trying to copy the look of the earwires bought from the shops as I feel that these are very generic and after all, I am marketing my jewellery as handmade. I too agree that it is sometimes more cost effective to buy earwires but contrary to this, if the wires are hand crafted, it adds to the individuality of the peice don't you think. I feel many people are happy to pay more (for your extra time) to have something a bit special. The advice I have recieved veers towards either using dead soft and hammering lightly or half hard and leaving as is. ThanKs again for your reply :-) Samantha (UK) |
#4
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Hand made earwires
On Nov 19, 11:29 am, Cognition Studios
wrote: Hi I am wondering if anyone can help me. I would love to know to make earwires by hand. I recently purchased a wigjig Delphi and it's fabulous! I am creating wires in exactly the shape I require. However, it has taken much experimentation (and money!) with wire gauges and different types (half hard/dead soft) to achieve the style I have been after. I am very excited about it except I cannot figure out how to hammer the wire without marking it! Help! Does this just come with practice? I have a chasing hammer, a small planishing block and a nylon hammer. I have been using 18-20 gauge gold filled wire but it marks terribly when I try to hammer the end and the curve that goes through the ear. Little nicks which I assume is the edge of the hammer denting it. If I use the nylon hammer, it doesn't flatten the wire and thats the look I would like. I have read that it is still hardening it however. I also am not sure what type of wire to use. Obviously, the dead soft wire shapes like a dream but the half hard wire doesn't haold the earwire shape so well. Should I exagerate the bend when using half hard or should I be using dead soft and hammering? If I do not hammer dead soft wire, is it a little unreliable in holding its shape for earwires? Any help and advice woul dbe gratefully recieved!! Thanks!!! :-) Hi, Here's what I've been doing about my earwires. I purchased a spool of anealed 304 stainless steel wire 20 gage. This works much better in every way, 1. I take a piece about a foot long and put one end into my bench vise, then I grab the other end with a pair of channel locks and slowly pull the wire until I feel it stretch a little. This hardens the wire, and works great on sterling silver or gold. This also makes your wire stright as an arrow. 2. Stainless steel will never tarnish, and it wears better then Platnium. 3. You can use lighter gage wire with stainless and it will hold it's shape alot better then silver or gold. Now you just have to get over the fact that it's not a precious metal, but when it's polished you'll never question what it's made of because it looks like white gold and is stronger and much cheaper. The spool of stainless steel cost $10.00 on Ebay and I still have 3000 feet of wire after five years. GOOD DEAL! |
#5
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Hand made earwires
On Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:47:08 -0800, Graver
wrote: Hi, Here's what I've been doing about my earwires. I purchased a spool of anealed 304 stainless steel wire 20 gage. This works much better in every way, 1. I take a piece about a foot long and put one end into my bench vise, then I grab the other end with a pair of channel locks and slowly pull the wire until I feel it stretch a little. This hardens the wire, and works great on sterling silver or gold. This also makes your wire stright as an arrow. 2. Stainless steel will never tarnish, and it wears better then Platnium. 3. You can use lighter gage wire with stainless and it will hold it's shape alot better then silver or gold. Now you just have to get over the fact that it's not a precious metal, but when it's polished you'll never question what it's made of because it looks like white gold and is stronger and much cheaper. The spool of stainless steel cost $10.00 on Ebay and I still have 3000 feet of wire after five years. GOOD DEAL! Assuming people want to buy earrings with stainless steel earwires. -- Marilee J. Layman http://mjlayman.livejournal.com |
#6
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Hand made earwires
On Dec 7, 5:17 am, "Marilee J. Layman" wrote:
On Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:47:08 -0800, Graver wrote: Hi, Here's what I've been doing about my earwires. I purchased a spool of anealed 304 stainless steel wire 20 gage. This works much better in every way, 1. I take a piece about a foot long and put one end into my bench vise, then I grab the other end with a pair of channel locks and slowly pull the wire until I feel it stretch a little. This hardens the wire, and works great on sterling silver or gold. This also makes your wire stright as an arrow. 2. Stainless steel will never tarnish, and it wears better then Platnium. 3. You can use lighter gage wire with stainless and it will hold it's shape alot better then silver or gold. Now you just have to get over the fact that it's not a precious metal, but when it's polished you'll never question what it's made of because it looks like white gold and is stronger and much cheaper. The spool of stainless steel cost $10.00 on Ebay and I still have 3000 feet of wire after five years. GOOD DEAL! Assuming people want to buy earrings with stainless steel earwires. -- Marilee J. Laymanhttp://mjlayman.livejournal.com- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Hi Marilee, Your right about people's idea of pure silver or gold, I just tell them straight up why I made them in stainless. I've started to design alot of my pieces using differnt metals, with Gold and Silver on the rise I find that it's the design that sells itself. Have you gone thru a department store and checked out the costume jewelry prices? It took me years to feel comfortable about change in metals, gold has never been a good investment, it's just a medium that for us jewelers is great for high end pieces. I can sell custom made pieces alot faster and cheaper without feeling like I'm waiting for a piece I made in gold to sell before I can design another. |
#7
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Hand made earwires
On Fri, 07 Dec 2007 08:27:27 -0800, Graver
wrote: On Dec 7, 5:17 am, "Marilee J. Layman" wrote: On Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:47:08 -0800, Graver wrote: Hi, Here's what I've been doing about my earwires. I purchased a spool of anealed 304 stainless steel wire 20 gage. This works much better in every way, 1. I take a piece about a foot long and put one end into my bench vise, then I grab the other end with a pair of channel locks and slowly pull the wire until I feel it stretch a little. This hardens the wire, and works great on sterling silver or gold. This also makes your wire stright as an arrow. 2. Stainless steel will never tarnish, and it wears better then Platnium. 3. You can use lighter gage wire with stainless and it will hold it's shape alot better then silver or gold. Now you just have to get over the fact that it's not a precious metal, but when it's polished you'll never question what it's made of because it looks like white gold and is stronger and much cheaper. The spool of stainless steel cost $10.00 on Ebay and I still have 3000 feet of wire after five years. GOOD DEAL! Assuming people want to buy earrings with stainless steel earwires. -- Marilee J. Laymanhttp://mjlayman.livejournal.com- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Hi Marilee, Your right about people's idea of pure silver or gold, I just tell them straight up why I made them in stainless. I've started to design alot of my pieces using differnt metals, with Gold and Silver on the rise I find that it's the design that sells itself. Have you gone thru a department store and checked out the costume jewelry prices? Nope, I'm disabled. I buy almost everything on the web these days. It took me years to feel comfortable about change in metals, gold has never been a good investment, it's just a medium that for us jewelers is great for high end pieces. I can sell custom made pieces alot faster and cheaper without feeling like I'm waiting for a piece I made in gold to sell before I can design another. I'm mostly a bead weaver, so gold or silver findings are not a big deal compared to the time I put in the work. -- Marilee J. Layman http://mjlayman.livejournal.com |
#8
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Hand made earwires
On Fri, 07 Dec 2007 08:27:27 -0800, Graver
wrote: Hi Marilee, Your right about people's idea of pure silver or gold, I just tell them straight up why I made them in stainless. I've started to design alot of my pieces using differnt metals, with Gold and Silver on the rise I find that it's the design that sells itself. Have you gone thru a department store and checked out the costume jewelry prices? It took me years to feel comfortable about change in metals, gold has never been a good investment, it's just a medium that for us jewelers is great for high end pieces. I can sell custom made pieces alot faster and cheaper without feeling like I'm waiting for a piece I made in gold to sell before I can design another. I went today and pulled out the last batch of sterling earwires I bought and they were $.64 per pair (the same ones are now$ .86 per pair) if you buy a hundred pair or more at the same time. I have a lot of trouble seeing even $.86 having a big affect on the cost and sales of the piece, particularly if it's a custom piece. -- Marilee J. Layman http://mjlayman.livejournal.com |
#9
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Hand made earwires
On Dec 9, 1:41 am, "Marilee J. Layman" wrote:
On Fri, 07 Dec 2007 08:27:27 -0800, Graver wrote: Hi Marilee, Your right about people's idea of pure silver or gold, I just tell them straight up why I made them in stainless. I've started to design alot of my pieces using differnt metals, with Gold and Silver on the rise I find that it's the design that sells itself. Have you gone thru a department store and checked out the costume jewelry prices? It took me years to feel comfortable about change in metals, gold has never been a good investment, it's just a medium that for us jewelers is great for high end pieces. I can sell custom made pieces alot faster and cheaper without feeling like I'm waiting for a piece I made in gold to sell before I can design another. I went today and pulled out the last batch of sterling earwires I bought and they were $.64 per pair (the same ones are now$ .86 per pair) if you buy a hundred pair or more at the same time. I have a lot of trouble seeing even $.86 having a big affect on the cost and sales of the piece, particularly if it's a custom piece. -- Marilee J. Laymanhttp://mjlayman.livejournal.com Marilee, You just don't get it!!!! I'm trying to have you think outside the box. This whole conversation isn't about the cost of earwires, it's taking other avenues of your creativity and trying new materials. I'm a 100% disabled Viet Nam Veteran, but that has nothing to do with the way I design or the way people will veiw my work. Besides, your using at least 85% of material that's not either silver or gold, so just take what I say as a differnt way to make art. I feel you don't really want to know anything new about fresh ideas, sounds like your angry, and I can't help you with that. |
#10
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Hand made earwires
On Mon, 10 Dec 2007 08:45:07 -0800, Graver
wrote: On Dec 9, 1:41 am, "Marilee J. Layman" wrote: On Fri, 07 Dec 2007 08:27:27 -0800, Graver wrote: Hi Marilee, Your right about people's idea of pure silver or gold, I just tell them straight up why I made them in stainless. I've started to design alot of my pieces using differnt metals, with Gold and Silver on the rise I find that it's the design that sells itself. Have you gone thru a department store and checked out the costume jewelry prices? It took me years to feel comfortable about change in metals, gold has never been a good investment, it's just a medium that for us jewelers is great for high end pieces. I can sell custom made pieces alot faster and cheaper without feeling like I'm waiting for a piece I made in gold to sell before I can design another. I went today and pulled out the last batch of sterling earwires I bought and they were $.64 per pair (the same ones are now$ .86 per pair) if you buy a hundred pair or more at the same time. I have a lot of trouble seeing even $.86 having a big affect on the cost and sales of the piece, particularly if it's a custom piece. -- Marilee J. Laymanhttp://mjlayman.livejournal.com Marilee, You just don't get it!!!! I'm trying to have you think outside the box. This whole conversation isn't about the cost of earwires, it's taking other avenues of your creativity and trying new materials. I'm a 100% disabled Viet Nam Veteran, but that has nothing to do with the way I design or the way people will veiw my work. Besides, your using at least 85% of material that's not either silver or gold, so just take what I say as a differnt way to make art. I feel you don't really want to know anything new about fresh ideas, sounds like your angry, and I can't help you with that. That's good, because I'm not angry. But in an earlier post (I snipped this part, didn't know it would become relevant), you said: ---------------- Here's what I've been doing about my earwires. I purchased a spool of anealed 304 stainless steel wire 20 gage. This works much better in every way, 1. I take a piece about a foot long and put one end into my bench vise, then I grab the other end with a pair of channel locks and slowly pull the wire until I feel it stretch a little. This hardens the wire, and works great on sterling silver or gold. This also makes your wire stright as an arrow. 2. Stainless steel will never tarnish, and it wears better then Platnium. 3. You can use lighter gage wire with stainless and it will hold it's shape alot better then silver or gold. Now you just have to get over the fact that it's not a precious metal, but when it's polished you'll never question what it's made of because it looks like white gold and is stronger and much cheaper. The spool of stainless steel cost $10.00 on Ebay and I still have 3000 feet of wire after five years. GOOD DEAL! ------------------------ and you were clearly talking about earwires, not the rest of your art, and were quite pleased that the stainless was much cheaper. I just think that the difference in price to use sterling is small enough not to matter. Many people will prefer sterling or at least gold-filled compared to stainless. As to "thinking out of the box" and "a different way to make art," I'm never going to do much wirework because I'm not strong enough. I used to make many more things (including radios and computers) but I'm pretty limited these days. I've had new ideas in art, been published, etc., but these days I mostly make things for presents or for charities to auction. And beadweaving and crocheting are the skills I can still use. -- Marilee J. Layman http://mjlayman.livejournal.com |
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