Table of Contents

1 Jewelry Making Wire 2

Types of Jewelry Wire 4

Jewelry Wire Metals 5

Wire Shape 10

Wire Gauge 11

Wire Temper 12

Wire Finishes and Treatments 13

Wire Care 14

2 Wirework Tools 16

Pliers 18

Wire Cutters 22

Hammers 24

Bench Blocks and Bench Pins 26

Mandrels 27

Wire Jigs 28

Wire-Twisting Tools 29

Jeweler’s Saw 30

Needle Files 32

Measuring Tools 33

3 Safety, Storage, and Organization 34

Safety Equipment 36

Ergonomics and Comfort 37

Wire Storage 38

Tool Storage 39

4 Basic Wirework 40

Make and Use Jump Rings 42

Hammer Jump Rings 49

Make Head Pins 50

Make Eye Pins 55

Create Wire-and-Bead Drops 59

Create Wire-and-Bead Links 66

Connect Wire-and-Bead Links 70

Make Basic Wire Clasps 74

Make Ear Wires 84

5 More Advanced Techniques 88

Make a Wrapped Briolette Drop 90

Twist Wire 97

Use Coiled Wraps 103

Wrap Beads within a Wire Frame 110

Wrap Beads onto a Wire Frame 123

Make a Wire Finger Ring 125

Weave with the Herringbone Wrap 132

More Advanced Wire Clasps 139

6 Wire Chains 148

Make a Double Jump Ring Chain 150

Make a Double Wrapped Loop Chain 152

Make an “S” Hook Chain 153

Construct a Double Spiral Chain 154

Weave the Byzantine Chain 158

7 Using a Wire Jig 162

Basic Technique 164

Make Connectors Using a Jig 166

Form Ear Wires Using a Jig 184

Wire Jig Patterns 190

Appendix: References and Resources 194

American Wire Gauge Chart 196

Coils-per-Inch Reference Charts 198

Byzantine Jump Ring Size Chart 200

Millimeter and Inch Conversions 201

Oxidization Methods 202

Polishing Techniques 204

Resources 205

Index 208