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How to Make Earring Wires

Why buy findings when you can make them?
Sometimes making your own earring wires to perfectly complement your design is just the thing to set your earrings apart from the rest of the pack.
Instructions
New! Material and Tool Resources can be found at the end of this tutorial
- A marker or a dowel (to use as a mandrel)
- Side Flush cutters
- Round nose pliers
- Flat file
- Steel bench block or anvil
- Chasing hammer (or other smooth headed hammer or household hammer)
Materials
- 20 gauge sterling silver wire (either half-hard or dead-soft. Both will work. I'm using dead-soft.)
- Optional - Liver of sulphur if you wan to oxidize your wire like mine
Step 1:
Make a coil of wire by wrapping a length of wire around your dowel or marker
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Step 2:
Cut apart the coil so that you have equally sized rings
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Step 3:
Using your round nose pliers, make a loop on one side of each ring
Using a permanent marker to mark your pliers will help you make consistent sized loops
Step 4:
Using your flat file, gently file down the eadges of the remaining cut end to make sure there aren't any rough bits.
Take extra care with this - this is the part that will go through the piercing of your ear remember. Any sharp bits will make micro-tears in the ear and may cause discomfort and irritation.
Step 5:
Gently turn up the ends that you just filed.
Step 6:
Use a smaller dowel or mandrel to gently press the loop into a slightly more oval shape. (This is personal preference so you can skip this if you want.)
Step 7:
Gently hammer the earring wires to harden them. I like a slightly flattened look to them so I like using a metal hammer. To harden without flattening the metal, use a rawhide or nylon mallet.
The finished earwires should look like this:
Step 8:
Add your dangly bits and look ma! Gorgeous earrings with handmade ear wires!
Visitor Feedback - Liz Jaffe |
"36 pairs of earring wires in an hour!"
I figured if you could teach me how to make - by hand - 36 pairs of earring wires in an hour then your book would be worth the $$$. "
It is printing as I type and CANNOT WAIT to get my hands on it! I have every book, article - you name it tutorial and NOTHING has been as easy, consistant, concise and beautiful than your earring instructions.
Liz Jaffe,
Jewelry Artist
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Materials and tools for this project:
Did you enjoy this article? Please give it a "like" to let us know ~Christine
Did you enjoy this article? Please give it a "like" to let us know ~Christine
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