Daily Wire Tip Dec. 16: Forging Wire
Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
December 16, 2010
Question:
Dale, what do you mean when you say “forged” wire?
-Michele in Clinton, Connecticut
Answer:
In the wire jewelry world, “forged” wire is wire that has been beaten with a hammer or mallet of sorts, depending on the desired outcome.
For example, using a chasing hammer and bench block on a heavy round wire will stretch, harden, and shape the wire, which is used when making a soft wire into a more solid shape like a cuff bracelet. When an embossing hammer is used, not only will a wire be forged, but also textured.
For more information, please see our discussion: Forging Soft Wire
Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong
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block, forging, hammering, hammering wire, Jewelry Making Wire, texture, texturizing
Filed under:Daily Wire Jewelry Tips‚ Jewelry Tool Tips‚ Technique Tips
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Hi, I’ve been frustrated trying to figure out how to texturize “Both” sides of my wire! Whenever I turn it over and use my Fretz hammer to texturize it the side I just did goes flat/smooth. I don’t use excessive force, just enough to leave the dimples in the wire. I use a steel block and have tried the rubber one and get no results there at all.
Sincerely, Jan
Budd Lake, NJ
Jan, it will take a bit for you to decide which technique works best for you but try:
1. Put a piece of leather over a steel bench block to protect the textured side
2. Use a steel block for the first side and then a nylon/plastic block for the second side.
Some folks have used a piece of towel, however I like to use a piece of industrial felt to protect the textured side while I work on the opposite. Just don’t hit really hard the on the second side.
Had the same results as well Jan till I changed things around.
I find the use of the word “forged” to really be wrong when used as it is now when applied to wire work. Course, this come from having a knifemaker as a husband and watching him hammer out a red hot piece of steel to shape for a knife blank.
Personally, I think the term should be “hammered” because that is what we are doing. Then apply the excepted term of “texturing” when we do that.