Stud Earrings

[bustagasket]

Either Su'.
I tend to keep a reel of fully hard .8 on hand specifically for making earposts and earwires, but you can work harden half hard OK if necessary. It's asking quite a lot to get soft to hard without drawing it down though.

Ty george

[ben b]

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[Matp85]

i always use side cutters at a slight angle making a groove. But make sure you have left enough for the butterfly to grip onto!

[mizgeorge]

I use an old pair of wire strippers that happen to be exactly the right size!

[caroleallen]

You can harden soft wire by burnishing it, twisting it or tumbling it.

[MuranoSilver]

I normally rotate it 90 degrees in one direction and then back again (up the wire)
another benefit is it really tests that solder join
Nic x

[Ominicci]

I normally burnish by putting the wire down on the bench peg with the stud over the side and gently rolling the stud along the side of the peg with left ahnd and burnish with right hand. It makes the post nice and shiny too. I don't put a groove in my posts as lots of bought earrings I have don't have them. If the butterfly is a bit loose then I take the butterfly off the earring and just press the wings together hard, with my teeth normally (for my own personal wear earrings!) but I suppose you could do it with pliers.