Most of my work starts out as a coil of silver or copper wire of varying gauges (thicknesses). Some of it, such as the cuffs, begins as a plain sheet of silver or copper. I keep the raw materials in a chest by my bench.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWjhkISqifhYxOaqeJI1pjQA7LDlWSpgz9YGXfYy-UPEaK-ma61an53wRDv7QlbOadGgpzUsvqpHFDektKeJ3K_P_wXMpHb1tXnS7CQ4Jcpk8trl7mV856NpukvqcfnN9T4ED2TH8CBLQ/s320/wire+and+sheet.jpg)
Today I'll just talk about how I make the chains.
First, I cut off a length of wire and wrap it around a wooden or steel dowel until I have a coil of 20 to 50 or so links, depending on the size. I use a jeweler's saw to cut the coil down one side to make a bunch of open links.
Next, I use pliers to push the ends of the links flush together. I then solder some of the links closed with an oxygen/propane torch. I line a lot of them up at one time, and this is what it looks like (except that the board is usually at least half full of links).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyZW_dBrE1bI56fG79XorSDPWGhWHz14m3A0Y9o9-PeSuBUw99djQ6RRzeoELy6jrj53pMsYuS8rA7K9qSlF8eaTzrYhJUxjVhcKc1N4EcvL4iWSrks0jgZdh6xzZ5IDdM5D28RhRepRR/s320/ready+to+solder.jpg)
Once I've soldered those links, I join them together with others and then solder all of those to make a chain. Some chains require more than 100 solder joins. (Yes, it takes time and patience.)
Next I hammer each link of the chain. Here are my beloved hammers.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZguOPJu8ujsQre1qyACW6mIo0VGQEtWYaQfYVXflY1rK-ZN0xteuYDroyzcjrQhSe6qU-sY5jQ863AJOAxvNj9iY_WgUuWTDi9SKzGo6aXbRBHUiPIObideO6cXZRKto3hgmgSnlUmJfj/s320/hammers.jpg)
See the one in front on the right? That's a planishing hammer, and I use it 90% of the time. It's my oldest and most beloved hammer.
After everything has been hammered, I toss it in a rotary tumbler with steel shot and let it go for up to eight hours. This is where it gets the bright, shiny finish.
And here you have an 18-inch "Paperclips" chain and earrings with 42 individually soldered and hammered links.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBCFKQ3MOnHO19swRVC9qUa3CjHtIZSeHZXLy9mLBbs6IS4b1uaQ-4eISK4inyOY1pdlWxAnyB3riprZS9s09Lsryh7U8QvFjZUsLvYO-GZl4BP7XZ1VywjqmjLF0XcFMAJSuruVwbFXT4/s320/paperclips_email.jpg)
So, every single piece of every single chain I make, including the shepherd's hook clasp, has been formed, soldered and hammered by me. (The only thing I don't make is the earwires for the earrings. If I did, I'd spend days and days just making earwires, and even I'm not that crazy.)