Hammering 1.50mm square wire

[Patstone]

I am trying to replicate a necklace I bought years ago, but in silver as the original was silver plate and the plating has come off to reveal copper underneath.
It is made of 1mm square silver wire pieces about an inch long (I want mine out of 1.50mm) held together by a couple of jump rings with a bead in the centre, so you have an inch length of square wire, then a jump ring then a piece of round wire with a crystal bead then a jump ring and another length of square wire etc.
The problem I have is when I tried to hammer the ends of the square wire flat to enable me to drill a hole to fix a jump ring but the square wire kept breaking. I eventually soldered on jump rings but it looks a bit clunky and wondered why it wouldnt hammer flat at the ends, any ideas please.

[Dennis]

Metal hardens quickly, and then cracks. I think you were trying to go too far without annealing again and possibly using too heavy a hammer.

To anneal, heat briefly to just visible red and then pickle, so as not to ingrain the surface oxides. To avoid wasting silver, you can in future do a test piece in copper first. Dennis.

[Patstone]

I wondered if it was a lack of annealing, the soldered on jumping look OK, not finished yet but I will post a pic when finished. It's only for me anyway so not cr.itical to get it perfect.

[Dennis]

Ah but that's just what it is: the road to perfection. Unachievable for most of us. Dennis

[Jasdir Singh Jaura]

I am trying to replicate a necklace I bought years ago, but in silver as the original was silver plate and the plating has come off to reveal copper underneath.
It is made of 1mm square silver wire pieces about an inch long (I want mine out of 1.50mm) held together by a couple of jump rings with a bead in the centre, so you have an inch length of square wire, then a jump ring then a piece of round wire with a crystal bead then a jump ring and another length of square wire etc.
The problem I have is when I tried to hammer the ends of the square wire flat to enable me to drill a hole to fix a jump ring but the square wire kept breaking. I eventually soldered on jump rings but it looks a bit clunky and wondered why it wouldnt hammer flat at the ends, any ideas please.

Step 1: Make Jump-Rings using 0.50 x 1.5 mm square silver wire.
Step 2: Solder Jump-rings on both the ends of 1.5 mm strait wire before molding it into any shape.
Step 3: Hammer the Jump-Rings from all four sides.
Step 4: File the excess solder between the Jump-Ring and wire.
Step 5: Finish the Jump-Ring hole using appropriate drill, or round file.

Finally, after that you can mold your wire pieces into any shape you want.

Hope that helps you

Jasdir.

[Patstone]

Finished it, not to the best of my ability I'm afraid, but from a distance it looks ok.

[Dennis]

It looks good Pat and a hundred times better than anything you can buy. Dennis.

[Patstone]

Hubby said it looks like a slave necklace. That was before it was polished though.

[Patstone]

Made a heart necklace for my niece for her 50th and a ring not sure if she wears rings, but if not I will make her something else.




The hearts are loose, the big heart has a real sapphire in, but the little one has a cubic zirconia in and the wire one is just wire. The ring I love, although another cubic zirconia. I may just have to make another almost one like it. Never make two things the same!!!!!

[metalsmith]

Finished it, not to the best of my ability I'm afraid, but from a distance it looks ok.

What's wrongwith it?! It looks great ... congrats on the job well done