Helloooooo!!!

[Julian]

My biggest worry is always seeing earwires handmade with plated wire. Unlike bought in (which are plated after cutting and fabrication), these can leave microscopic chips of plating in the piercing, and this can lead to some very nasty infections.

Actually for ear wires, I advocate a minimum of silver for this exact reason

J

[Gemineer]

Unfortunately, plated metals area very bad idea for maille. With time, they inevitably chip or flake at every cut point, and can end up looking pretty nasty after very little wear, which is a great shame given the time taken to make. There are plenty of good bare metal alternatives though - copper, brass, bronze, aluminium and stainless steel all work very well, and anodised niobium or titanium hold their colour reasonably well, and at least don't chip.

My biggest worry is always seeing earwires handmade with plated wire. Unlike bought in (which are plated after cutting and fabrication), these can leave microscopic chips of plating in the piercing, and this can lead to some very nasty infections.

I'll bear that in mind for future pieces George, thanks Of course, it's all dependant on whether we can afford to get the wires, andd when

I'd not heard about that risk with earwires! :O Fortunately, all those that I've handmade are made from head or eye pins. I'll certainly avoid using plated wires for those!

Thanks for the advice

[Gemineer]

Doesn't matter how advanced or not just ENJOY!

Oh, I definitely do that, Vernon

[Gemineer]

Hi Gemineer, a belated welcome from me as well!!

Lorraine

Thanks Lorraine

[Gemineer]

Actually for ear wires, I advocate a minimum of silver for this exact reason

J

I assume that's because silver tarnishes, Julian?

[Julian]

I assume that's because silver tarnishes, Julian?

No it's for health reasons. Cheap ear wires can contiain all sorts of metals, often unknown. Ears are very sensitive and it's east to get infections. My mother in law even complains about gold plated settings. Simple wires in sliver are not expensive and for my $0.02 add a little finess regardless of the other material.

J

[Gemineer]

No it's for health reasons. Cheap ear wires can contiain all sorts of metals, often unknown. Ears are very sensitive and it's east to get infections. My mother in law even complains about gold plated settings. Simple wires in sliver are not expensive and for my $0.02 add a little finess regardless of the other material.

J

Sadly, it's my experience that, on our tight budget, solid sterling silver is simply outside our range unless we're working on commissions. I've certainly not been able to find truly inexpensive silver findings

[Kwant]

This pair of simple ear wires used 47mm (each) of 0.9mm sterling silver, took a couple of minutes to make just using round nosed pliers and a hammer for a little bit of texture and the price for the metal would be 60 pence for the pair.

[Gemineer]

This pair of simple ear wires used 47mm (each) of 0.9mm sterling silver, took a couple of minutes to make just using round nosed pliers and a hammer for a little bit of texture and the price for the metal would be 60 pence for the pair.

Very good, Kwant The problem we have is affording the initial investment

[Julian]

Very good, Kwant The problem we have is affording the initial investment

Yes that it the dilemma, I recon using .8 half hard you can get it down to 40p a pair but as you say it's a 30 pound investment for a 5.7 m / 30 gram coil.

Let me think of a way to get you off the ground, perhaps you coul make some for me since I buy mine in order to focus else where.

J