Hey! So I just started making jewelry within the last year and I've really hit a wall when it comes to jump rings. I have so many questions I can't seem to get answers to through google haha.

What I am trying to accomplish:

I prefer to work with 925 Sterling Silver. I've mostly made post earrings and have had no issues there, but now I want to make drops and dangles, necklaces and bracelets. Of course all of these require jump rings. My pieces so far require small holes and therefore need a smaller gauge jump ring. I bought some 24 gauge (0.5mm) 5mm diameter 925 sterling silver jump rings from my supplier (I could probably go one gauge up if needed, but they don't have any available). They were the perfect size for the appearance that I want, but of course they are very soft and easily bendable. Because I am very new to the world of metal working I soon realized something had to be done to strengthen the jump rings, but the internet has so far provided me with a lot of mixed answers therefore leading me to more questions and feeling stuck At first I learned about work hardening, so I bought a rubber mallet and started to tap away at my jump rings. It did indeed make them stronger, but not enough that one accidental yank on an earring, or one snag of a necklace on something, wouldn't rip the piece apart.

So here are my many questions, I hope you guys can help me out as I really want to expand my shop but I can't until I solve this mystery.

1. Is it ok to use sterling silver jump rings? Or is it better to use silver plated for more strength? When is it better to use sterling silver ones?

2. Is there certain gauges that should not be used for necklaces?

3. I didn't use a steal block when work hardening, would that make a difference and possible make the jump rings more sturdy?

4. I read mixed reviews about soldering jump rings. Is this possible with a small jump ring once attached to a piece? What sort of tools would a person on a budget need?

I feel like there were more questions haha, but that's what I got at the moment. I like to be thorough in what I do and really do my research, but this one has been hard to get some straight answers on. I really hope you guys can help me out!