Sterling and Gemstone Disc Earrings Tutorial

Step 10: Make a simple loop on the other end of the eyepin

1. Bend the wire down about 90 degrees with your fingers.

2. Trim the end to about 3/4 inch or however much is necessary to make a simple loop

3. Make a simple loop

<---You now have one link with a simple loop end and a wrapped loop end.

Step 11:

Repeat Steps 9 and 10 to make a second link.

Step 12: Harden and flatten your links

1. Place link loop on the end of your steel block or anvil.
   
   
2. Lightly hammer the loop with your chasing hammer to harden and strengthen it.  Flattening it makes it look more "worked" and finished too.

Tip: If you don't want to flatten the wire, hammer the loops with a rawhide or nylon hammer. This will strengthen them without flattening.

3.  The simple loops will probably open slightly.  Squeeze them closed with your crimpling pliers or with your chain-nosed pliers.

Step 13: Straighten the loops

Hold each loop of a link with 2 pairs of chain-nosed pliers, flat-nosed pliers, or a combination of the two, so that the loops are perpendicular to each other

<----- The finished, hardened loop. 

Step 14: Repeat steps 12 and 13 with the other simple loop and the wrapped loops too.

Tip:  See how the wire gets marred by the round-nosed pliers where I grabbed the wire to make the loops? If this bothers you, you can file off any tool marks.