Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
December 23, 2010

Question:

What is “gallery wire,” and how do you use it?

-Valarie in Clifford Township, Pennsylvania

Answer:

Gallery wire is a very fancy bezel wire, generally soldered. Basically it is used by silver and gold smiths to set cabochons and/or stones or in the construction of rings when something rather elegant is desired. It is very soft and when I tried to use it in wire wrapping, it broke really easily. That was several years ago; maybe I should give it another shot. Anyone else use it in wire wrapping?

A quick Google Image search will return many images of this type of wire.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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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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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
December 8, 2010

Question:

Hi, I seem to have the opposite problem as some other wire workers – I like a stone with very little girdle. I find I can get away with only using 4 wires when the stone isn’t too thick – and with the price of sterling lately, the fewer the better. Do you have any tips on how to wrap a thick stone without adding a lot of extra frame wires? Thanks!

-Michelle in St. John’s, Newfoundland

Answer:

I have two suggestions for you, Michelle.

1. Add a piece of pattern wire to the center of the frame bundle;
2. Use a harness, such as the one shown on the heart below, but change it just a bit. Instead of using just 2 wires, use 4 and bring the center 2 up across the front of the stone, and the other 2 on the sides as normal. Make the bail and embellish as desired.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
November 27, 2010

Question:

I have wire that has water spots on it, is there anyway I can remove them, or is it useless now?

-Rose in St. Simons Island, Georgia

Answer:

No Rose, your wire is not useless!

My suggestion is to keep a container of rubbing alcohol and a piece of tee shirt by your workspace. When you are straightening the wire for a project, dampen the tee shirt with the alcohol, and run the wire through it to remove the stains (instead of using a polishing cloth). Then use a polishing cloth.

I’m sure that some of our readers have had the same challenge, and will jump in with their experiences too!

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
November 26, 2010

Question:

I learned how to make “rosary links” through one of the wire wrapping tutorials on your site. I am wondering if dead soft wire would be ok to use for such links? I am using a 24-gauge headpin type wire, and it is half hard. I have a great deal of trouble making the wraps under the loops when I connect the links. I thought maybe a dead soft wire would be easier to work with, but I am afraid it will not be strong enough to support the weight of the finished necklace. Is this a good idea or do I just need to practice more?

-Karen in Porterville, California

Answer:

Thanks Karen! Sherrie and I had fun making the Creating a Rosary Link video, just using a web cam. Yes, you could use a soft wire; however, the gauge choice depends on the size and weight of the beads you are using.

For larger beads (5mm +) you might try using a 22-gauge round soft wire, which will harden enough as you work it to hold more weight, and it should not pull into an oval. And yes, practice will make it easier to wrap more consistently, using two sets of pliers (either chain nose and flat nose or just two pairs of chain nose pliers).

I think that by practicing with a 22-gauge, you will be happier with the results, and then move on to the smaller 24-gauge.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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