Smashing Drop Earrings

by Judy Larson

Category: Contemporary
Technique(s): Oxidizing / Antiquing
Skill Level: Beginner

Well, who knew smashed and hammered wire could turn into such beautiful earrings!

Here's a hint before you start: Argentium silver is much whiter than sterling and polishes beautifully. Balled Argentium wire is smooth and not pitted like sterling. By not applying patina to the earrings, they have just the right amount of "bling" without being too flashy. Applying patina to the earrings gives them a more earthy bohemian look.

Materials

19 Gauge Round Dead Soft Argentium .940 Silver Wire

H19-19D

Lesson Quantity: 2.00 feet
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 5FT
Price: $23.68
Gold Club Price: $17.76

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Silver Filled Jump Rings Open (.025) 22ga (OD) 3mm (ID) 1.98mm - Pack of 25

S11-12

Lesson Quantity: 2.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $0.66
Gold Club Price: $0.50

Out of Stock

Sterling Silver Earwires 21mm w/ 1.5mm Bead - Pack of 2

K19-50

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $2.40
Gold Club Price: $1.80

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Tools

Chain Nose Wire Pliers

G2-508

G2-508
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $32.95
Gold Club Price: $24.71

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6.5 Inch Long Flat Nose Pliers - Pack of 1

G2-74

G2-74
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $9.87
Gold Club Price: $7.40

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C.H.P Milano Italian Flush Cutter, 5 1/2 Inches

PLR-487.00

PLR-487.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $16.97
Gold Club Price: $12.73

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14mm Barrel Wrap N Tap Looping Pliers for Pattern Wire, Etc.

G2-79

G2-79
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $24.97
Gold Club Price: $18.73

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Steel Block--Deluxe Hardened Steel

DAP-525.50

DAP-525.50
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $18.97
Gold Club Price: $14.23

Out of Stock

Flat Face Chasing Hammer with Wood Handle - Economy

G3-14

G3-14
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $11.57
Gold Club Price: $8.68

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000 knitting needle or small bamboo skewer

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each

Silver Solder Paste Soft SS65- 1/4 T.O.

SOL-822.10

SOL-822.10
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $16.95
Gold Club Price: $12.71

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GB2001 Self-Igniting Butane Micro-Torch

TRCH-GB2001

TRCH-GB2001
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $84.95
Gold Club Price: $63.71

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NATURE'S TOUCH CITRIC PICKLE, 2LB PLASTIC JAR

CLN-163.00

CLN-163.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $17.95
Gold Club Price: $13.46

Out of Stock

Pickle Pot, 16 Ounces

CLN-584.00

CLN-584.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $31.95
Gold Club Price: $23.96

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Instructions

Step 1

Please ead through the directions before beginning the project.

The amount of hammering done on the wrapped rings will determine the outer diameter. The finished rings will be approximately: Small-3/4"; Medium-15/16"; Large-1-1/8" Working from a spool of wire is the easiest way to go about making the components. About 23" of wire will make one large hammered ring. If the wire used is half or full hard, the coils will "spring out" and be larger, thus requiring a longer piece of wire. The finished rings will also be larger.

The three sections on the Wrap N Tap pliers will make either a small, medium or large hammered ring. Working from the wire spool, wrap the wire around the appropriate Wrap N Tap section 4½ times. Leave a 9" wire tail for the large hammered ring, an 8" wire tail for the medium hammered ring and a 7" wire tail for the small hammered ring.

Judy Larson's Smashing Drop Earrings - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Oxidizing Wire, Oxidizing, Antiquing Wire, Antiquing, smashing drop earrings

Step 2

Wrap the wire from the beginning of the coil several times around the core wire coil. Pinch the wire end in with chain nose pliers.

Step 3

Wrap the long wire tail tightly several times around the wire coil. You do not need to be neat and even with this step. No two finished rings will be exactly alike. Hint: If it is difficult to pull the wrap wire tightly against the core wire coil, use pliers to pull the wrap wire. As the wrapping continues, the wire will become work hardened. It may need to be annealed to make the wrapping easier.

Step 4

After wrapping several times, Place a skewer or knitting needle against the core wire coil. Wrap the wire tightly around the skewer or knitting needle (shown here) and then around the core wires twice. Twist the skewer or knitting needle to the side to set the loop so it lies flat and parallel with the core wire coil.

Step 5

Continue wrapping around the core wire coil. If a second loop is desired for connecting to another loop, make the loop opposite the first loop. There may or may not be a short tail of wire remaining. Trim the wire tails off close to the wire core.

Pro Tip: When loops are made on either side of a smashed ring they make great connectors that can be used in a bracelet or necklace. Carol Erickson made a necklace with the smashed drops. Notice where the connecting loops were placed on the center loop to make the necklace hang in a "V" shape.

Step 6

Tuck the wire end in with the tips of a chain nose pliers.

Step 7

Now for the fun part: Place the wrapped wire coil on the bench block and hammer it flat. Put some muscle into it-this is a great way to get rid of frustrations! Just make sure that both rings are evenly flattened.
Note: You may have to trim off the ends of the wrapped wire if they stick out after hammering. The wire ends could also be lightly filed to smooth them.

Step 8

Connect hammered circles with an 18 gauge 2.5mm ID jump ring. Hint: If making a bracelet or necklace, using two jump rings to connect the links would be advisable.

Step 9

Attach earring findings.

Step 10

Optional: The hammered rings are beautiful as is but I am not one to leave something alone if I can add embellishments!

Other materials needed: Variety of balled wire (or other embellishments)

Step 10: Pull out your box of balled wire. Test out various sized balls around each smashed ring until satisfied with the look. Remove each ball separately, place easy paste solder on the back of the ball and then press the ball back in place on the hammered ring.

Step 11

Solder the embellishments in place. Be careful and watch for the solder to flash. Immediately remove the torch. Too much heat can melt the wire connecting loops. Allow the soldered piece to cool naturally. Argentium can become brittle and break, especially the connecting loops, if it is immediately quenched.

Step 12

Flatten the balled embellishments slightly with a hammer.

Step 13

Pickle, rinse and dry.

Step 14

Leave bright silver or patina if desired. Buff patinated pieces with 0000 steel wool to bring out dimension. Buffing with steel wool creates a satin finish on the metal. If desired, tumble the pieces for 30 minutes to an hour to bring up a shine. Tumbling will not affect the patina.

Pro Tip: This earring is not heavy, but since it will swing around, it could pull on the piercing. When there is concern about the weight of an earring and/or stretched out piercings, stud earrings are a good choice. Small earnuts still allow for some stretching out of a piercing but using larger earnuts can help with this and also keep a ball stud from drooping. WireJewelry carries both gold filled and sterling Jumbo Earnuts.

Reviews

Judy Larson

My philosophy has always been "I will never live long enough to learn everything I want to learn, go everywhere I want to go and see everything I want to see!" So, what I make and how I create it is always changing and evolving. I was born shortly after WWII to parents who grew up during the Depression. They always had a "we can do it, we can make it" attitude which rubbed off on my two younger brothers and me. My brothers are amazing and can make and do ANYTHING! When I was a little girl, my mother gave me an old carved cigar box, which I cherish, filled with pop beads, wooden beads and yarn for stringing. That was the beginning of my jewelry making journey.

On a visit to the Grand Canyon when I was a young woman, I was fortunate enough to help a Native American silversmith sand cast my first silver bracelet and bezel set a large turquoise nugget on top. I was in love, hook, line and sinker! While working full time and having a family here in northern Minnesota, my artistic endeavors slowed down but never stopped. I am an artist, scrapbooker, seamstress, woodworker and jewelry artisan. Now that I am retired, I am able to indulge in all my hobbies. However, there just never seems to be enough time in the day to do it all, but I try!

I have been teaching community education beginner and intermediate jewelry making classes since my retirement. Many of my students have been bitten so hard by the jewelry making bug that they say I have turned them into monsters-they just can't get enough. Making jewelry, seeing something take shape from small bits and pieces, is so rewarding that I hope it brings out the "monster" in you, too!