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View Full Version : The Flipside of Brooches.



Dennis
20-09-2010, 09:05 AM
To make them wearable brooches need findings, which are attached along a line somewhere above the centre, so as to prevent the brooch from leaning forward in use. In the case of narrow brooches the pin might have to be positioned to operate at an angle , or from top to bottom, but always so that it hugs the fabric and does not fall out if the catch comes undone.

Brooches are usually worn on the left and pinned on from right to left. So on the far left I solder on a small revolving safety catch with the opening facing downwards. For the far right I use a visor joint, which is small and can be adjusted for height. Before soldering it on, its gap needs to be corrected to match the chosen pin wire. Pretty well all my brooches are made of silver, so for the pin I use 0.9mm stainless steel wire, or for really short pins 0.8mm wire. Stainless steel is allowed under hallmarking regulations. It is very strong and will not mark light coloured fabrics.

At one end of the pin I make a small loop to accommodate a 1.2mm silver rivet. I find that once the loops is started, the very tip is too tough to bend, so I nip this off with heavy duty pliers and then continue until it fits the rivet snugly. It will stay closed without soldering. The other end of the pin is eventually shortened until it protrudes by about 1.0mm beyond the safety catch, filed to a bullet point and polished with a rubber wheel.

But first the holes in the joint are reamed out by hand to fit the rivet wire. The rivet is held with flat pliers, supported on a steel block and one end spread with a small hammer. It helps if the pliers have been customised by making a vertical grove on the inner side of the beaks for this. The other end of the rivet is sharpened slightly so that it can be pushed through the joint and pin. The sharpened end is then cut off leaving about 1.5mm still protruding. For a flush rivet the holes will have been slightly countersunk on the outside with a round burr. Then one end is supported on a steel block or small anvil while the other end is gently tapped, turning over several times until the rivet holds firm. Then the heads are filed flush.

Although it is more fiddly, I prefer to form my rivet heads with two hollow nail punches, one in a vice to act as the anvil and one held in my hand. This is a bit of a balancing act, but leaves me with two round headed rivets which can be perfected with cup burrs.

For very precious brooches it is also possible to add a small safety chain, secured with a tiny pin shaped like a clothes hanger. Below are some brooch backs showing pin placement, A lapel bug with a threaded pin and thumb nut, Some hollow punches in action and some more low-tech solutions using tubes. Dennis.

Joe
20-09-2010, 08:01 PM
Lovely article - we should have a binder to save these "pull-out-and-keep" ones!

I am curious about the fastener on the bug brooch, I don't recognise the findings, is that custom made?

I make a number of brooches and am quite shamed by how lovely yours are even from the back!

Dennis
20-09-2010, 08:54 PM
Thank you, Joe.
It's what I wear on my winter anorak. I tried a post and bought pin-back first, but nearly lost it. Then I put a thread on the post, but it did no better. Now it's a 1.4mm threaded post with the nut made from a knurled dome and a threaded tube. Winter will tell, but it's the shoulder strap of my briefcase that does it. Kind regards, Dennis.

ps_bond
21-09-2010, 08:52 AM
What stainless are you using, Dennis? I've got a reel of 304 stainless that I've been experimenting with for brooch pins; off the reel it's far too soft, but if it is stretched and then twisted with a drill until it snaps, it develops a good hardness without being too brittle; seems pretty good for the application so far.

The stretching is less about the work hardening - it doesn't do enough - than reducing the diameter slightly, BTW.

Dennis
21-09-2010, 06:37 PM
I don't have the exact specification Peter, it just says Stainless steel wire, K.C. Smith & Co, Hard. I bought the smallest reels of 0.9 and 0.8 mm over ten years ago, and still have enough to see me out. It is exactly what it says on the reel : hard as hell. You might have to phone them to circumvent registering etc, but failing that it's Chaperlain & Jacobs again Kind regards, Dennis.
K.C.Smith (Monmouth) Ltd - K.C.Smith (http://www.kcsm.co.uk)

Joe
21-09-2010, 10:08 PM
As usual, I feel a purchase coming on reading your posts - nothing I've bought on your recommendation has gone unused (and some items are in my hand every single day)!

Joe
21-09-2010, 10:15 PM
Ah, oo. Looking at that website and bearing in mind my other thread on the forum.... Nickel.... again! It's a nightmare!

Dennis
22-09-2010, 03:45 PM
Dentures have stainless steel clasps, so I guess it's the medical quality for you Joe. That said, I have never had a brooch returned and some of my family get tingly fingers from metal buttons on mobile phones.

Jodie81
08-12-2010, 08:38 AM
This is very handy thank you. I had a disastrous incident with a brooch I had made at college and the pin kept pinging out and sticking into my chest!

abyjem
08-12-2010, 07:20 PM
Very interesting tute as usual Dennis. You're a handy bloke to have around!

Tabby66
09-12-2010, 10:20 PM
I was only discussing pin wire with my tutor last night - a very timely thread Dennis thank you!

I know what you mean Joe about Dennis encouraging us to spend. Dennis, I think you've caused a rush on solder snips btw, the stock ran out from when I put them in my basket to when I got around to ordering! That'll teach me to dither and debate - I've got to wait until January for delivery!!

Thanks as always!
Tabby

Dennis
10-12-2010, 10:26 AM
Sorry about that, but Mrs Cookson is not even my Auntie. As you get only one pallion at a trime , I do feel that they are more for boys to play ticket inspectors, Kind regards, Dennis.

Inanegal
13-01-2011, 04:10 PM
Thanks for all that top-quality information, Dennis!
I've just made a silver brooch with a simple steel pin, so I was very interested to read your post. I've been assuming that it wouldn't qualify for hallmarking, but now I think I might submit it. When you get your brooches hallmarked, do you have to have the word 'METAL' stamped on them by the Assay Office, to indicate that there's some base metal involved, or do they just give you the normal hallmark? Also, do you have to put anything special on the form when submitting your brooches to the Assay Office?

Dennis
13-01-2011, 08:11 PM
Yes, I have just declared the stainless steel pin on the form, but it it permissable and they hallmark it normally. I am uncertain about ordinary steel, but they are quite helpful to phone. Kind regards, Dennis.

Inanegal
14-01-2011, 07:00 AM
Thanks, Dennis, I'll give them a call.
Best regards, Nina.

Kwant
02-04-2011, 06:32 PM
I have just used a Cookson sterling brooch back for the first time, and it has soldered onto my piece fine but I find the pin is now a bit stiff and does not turn as it did before I soldered it, is there something I can do to make it nice and loose again? Indeed what might I have done wrong that this occurred?

The brooch back in question is this one: http://www.cooksongold.com/Findings/Silver-Brooch-Back-With-Revolver-Safety-Catch-Complete--prcode-NVR-201

Tabby66
02-04-2011, 06:46 PM
Hi Kwant,

I've used these frequently and increasingly successfully, though I am now exploring making my own (purely from a design and have a go perspective!)! Initially I had the same problems that you describe. Increased success has been achieved by -

1 - use heat resistant paste / gel on all movable parts
2 - keep flame directly away frome the ends (ideally heat from below, but not always possible)
3 - quench, pickle as usual and then gently 'work' joints to release them, if you haven't soldered them into place by mistake ;-) then they do tend to release.

Hope this helps!

Tabby

Kwant
02-04-2011, 08:04 PM
Thank you Tabby, I have been meaning to get some of that heat resist paste. I do not think I soldered the hinge though it did cross my mind, I think I will just have to sit and work it loose as you suggest.

Cathy
01-05-2011, 08:46 PM
Dear Denise

This was my very first posting, so I was very grateful for your detailed reply and glad to see that my construction is on track (I have been using 9kt pin wire), but where do you get your stainless steel wire from?

Best wishes
Cathy

Dennis
01-05-2011, 09:32 PM
K.C.Smith (Monmouth) Ltd

Mrs Miggins
08-11-2013, 02:40 PM
Hi Dennis,
I've just joined the forum and found this thread regarding wire for brooch pins. I got some from the supplier you recommended. The wire is as you said really hard. Can you offer any advice as to getting neat bends in the stuff without damaging the item it's being attached to. I managed it but it was areal struggle getting a good grip for the second bend I used a tube and bent the wire at right angles to fit into a double catch.. Also how do you get small circumference bends in it without trashing your pliers?
Thanks.

Dennis
08-11-2013, 04:29 PM
Yes you are right, it is very hard and I keep some inherited stainless steel pliers for this which are expensive and difficult to source.

Because stainless steel is a poor conductor, you can just heat the part you want to bend to dull red an quench it. It will turn dark and need polishing, but then be more easy to bend there and yet not spoiled for its purpose.

When I make the double pin, I now use a piece of thin tube that just fits the wire and have it rotate in a second larger tube. This gives a stronger edge to the tubing when I make my second bend against it.

Regards, Dennis.

theresa
18-10-2017, 01:59 PM
Hi Dennis - have just come across this thread and wondered if, IYO .7 or .8mm sheet is considered thick enough for a plain brooch. I don't want it to be flimsy, on the other hand not heavy either! I bought some stainless in lengths which is perfect for pins. I made one brooch using .7mm and domed it slightly, which seems ok. I guess it all depends on the item of clothing it will be worn on. Just had a fancy to make a series of plain unadorned brooches in the Scandi style....1052210523

Dennis
18-10-2017, 08:06 PM
The answer is that once formed or domed it will be much stronger than if left flat, so the thickness is fine for strength.
If visually it appears thin,you can also finish the edgees at an angle to give the illusion of greater thickness. Dennis.

theresa
19-10-2017, 08:13 AM
Thank you...

jlazz
18-12-2018, 01:00 PM
Hi Dennis is the catch on the left? And the tube left?

Dennis
18-12-2018, 01:43 PM
Traditionally brooches are worn on the left shoulder (assuming that the wearer is right handed). The pin or pins are placed about one third of the way down, so that the brooch won't flop forward. Double pins also prevent this, as well as being more stable on thin material.

The catch is on the far left, so that the brooch won't fall off as easily if it opens accidentally.

You might have to improvise if the brooch is tall and narrow. Dennis

Sheen
05-02-2019, 01:41 PM
What do you think of the silver pins for brooches that cookson sells? I'm going to be making my first basic bar brooch.

Dennis
05-02-2019, 03:33 PM
They will do, if you rivet them on last of all and don't heat them, Sheena. You could also use 9ct white, for a harder pin, or just go for stainless steel, which if declared is accepted by the assay office.

Sheen
15-02-2019, 02:18 PM
I don't have the exact specification Peter, it just says Stainless steel wire, K.C. Smith & Co, Hard. I bought the smallest reels of 0.9 and 0.8 mm over ten years ago, and still have enough to see me out. It is exactly what it says on the reel : hard as hell. You might have to phone them to circumvent registering etc, but failing that it's Chaperlain & Jacobs again Kind regards, Dennis.
K.C.Smith (Monmouth) Ltd - K.C.Smith (http://www.kcsm.co.uk)

Seems to be trade only, any other places i can try?

Dennis
15-02-2019, 03:31 PM
Don't take fright, say you are a business (jewellery designer/ maker) and give your name as the business name. Your Cookson a/c number can be used as proof if required.
A coil of this will do for most Brooches and last a long time. https://www.kcsmith.co.uk/product/075mm-round-stainless-wire--hard-coil-30-grm-r600h00750pc7 Dennis.

Sheen
15-02-2019, 04:57 PM
Will give it a go and let you know how i get on;)

Goldfish
22-02-2019, 04:29 PM
🙈 ....It’s been a while since I sent anything other than silver or gold jewellery for hallmarking so got a shock when brooches that we’re sent with stainless steel wire pins had to hallmarked silver PLUS next to it +METAL .
METAL was also put on the actual pin, which increases the hallmarking cost!

theresa
22-02-2019, 04:36 PM
odd, they didn't do that when I sent in brooches with stainless steel pins. Perhaps it depends on the mood they are in! Irritating though when you get charged EXTRA.

theresa
22-02-2019, 04:38 PM
Don't take fright, say you are a business (jewellery designer/ maker) and give your name as the business name. Your Cookson a/c number can be used as proof if required.
A coil of this will do for most Brooches and last a long time. https://www.kcsmith.co.uk/product/075mm-round-stainless-wire--hard-coil-30-grm-r600h00750pc7 Dennis.

I bought lengths from them, so already straight. Probably last me out though!

Goldfish
23-02-2019, 11:06 AM
odd, they didn't do that when I sent in brooches with stainless steel pins. Perhaps it depends on the mood they are in! Irritating though when you get charged EXTRA.

Theresa was that this year that you had things hallmarked , I’m wondering if it’s changed since the new prices came in?

theresa
23-02-2019, 10:54 PM
Actually, it was before Christmas, so I will see what happens next time.