How to make a silver knot bracelet please?

[taylordebs]

Hi there, I would love to make one of these bracelets but am fairly new to using the torch and not dabbled too much with silver wire due to the cost but if anyone has any idea how to make one of these and what gauge wire I should choose i would be most grateful! Thanks very much

[Kwant]

Looks to be quite heavy I would guess around 4mm possibly more. If I were to attempt it I would cut my wire form the basic knot as I would in a piece of string and then start to coax it closed, probably by fixing one end in a vice and pulling like mad on the other end, maybe with a little grease to help it slide and frequent annealing. Then on nearing the desired tightness hammering with a rawhide mallet to further close the knot, when satisfied, shape it up on a bangle mandrel and finish off the ends, where they had been gripped with vice and hmm those mole pliers to get a good grip while pulling. I get the idea it will take quite a bit of brute force to close that knot, but you never know there may be a secret to it. Hang around and no doubt somebody will know.

awg 6 I think is the nearest to 4mm.

[taylordebs]

Sounds good to me Thanks!

[Patstone]

You may be able to make it out of silver PMC. It would be a lot easier than trying to tie a knot if you aren't set up for it.

Hi there, I would love to make one of these bracelets but am fairly new to using the torch and not dabbled too much with silver wire due to the cost but if anyone has any idea how to make one of these and what gauge wire I should choose i would be most grateful! Thanks very much

[josef1]

Maybe make it in soft wax then have it cast ?

[taylordebs]

Hi again, If I put flux on the wire will that stop the annealing process? Can I just make it and pickle without the flux please? Ta

[taylordebs]

Thanks not dabbled with silver clay and would ideally like it made out of silver wire, but thanks very much.

[taylordebs]

Way out of my comfort zone lol. but thanks very much

[sheepy]

I think it's worth making one out of thick copper wire, like earthing cable, just to get a feel for how it works and save the silver for the final one.

[Dennis]

Hi again, If I put flux on the wire will that stop the annealing process? Can I just make it and pickle without the flux please? Ta

I'm not sure where the flux comes in here. Flux is a reducing agent and will stop oxidation of solder and of the joint itself when soldering. It will also reduce a tendency of sterling silver to exhibit firescale, which is due to copper oxide formation. For this reason it can be applied to sterling before annealing.

However metals can be annealed perfectly well without flux. As you see, most of us would need to experiment to get the answer to your question and as sheepy has said, use a cheaper metal for this. Dennis.