Originally Posted by
Dennis
Hi Rebecca, and welcome to the forum.
I will try to answer some of your questions, but come back if I have left something out.
0.5mm is rather thin for a brooch, but doable. 0.7mm would be better. The hinge joint is used on its side so that the closed front gives the pin its springiness. The height at the front can be left, or reduced according to material.
Traditionally brooches are worn on the left, and the pin undoes downwards.
The pin is placed so that it is more than half way up the back, or the brooch will flop forward. Sometimes to avoid too short a pin, it has to be placed obliquely.
The joint can be soldered on from the back using easy solder, but first ensuring that its gap is sufficiently wide for the pin to move inside. The flame used is softened by opening the air hole a little, moving the flame around, and working in a darkened area, to avoid overheating any part of the brooch. As always, the whole piece must be heated first before homing in on the solder.
The catch and the pin can be bought or made from wire. Once the hinge and catch are in place, the pin is riveted in place.
I attach various ancient pictures, where the joints are no longer available, but similar. Dennis
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