I regularly receive emails asking me about types of wire, what ‘half hard’ means and where people can get certain supplies. All sorts of questions are asked and one day, whilst replying to an email, I thought it might be useful to add a FAQ page to my website. So here it is, I will be adding to this on a regular basis, so if there is something you want to know, just ask – I will do my best to help.


If you would like details of online suppliers for beads and wire, have a look at my links tab.


The information given on this page is designed to partner my tutorials. This includes materials and tools which I commonly use but they are not definitive lists.


Tools:

As with anything – get the best you can afford. For years I worked with economy pliers and wire cutters, which was fine but it wasn’t until I got my ‘decent’ set that I realised what I had been missing!!! I now use Wubbers and can’t believe how much easier they make things. The jaws of your pliers should be smooth so that they do not mark your wire, but should also grip it firmly, so that it does not slide about while you are working.

1. Wire cutters = there are 2 main types, flush cutters and side cutters. I recommend the use of flush cutters, for this detailed style of wire work, you need to be able to get in really close and make a neat and tidy cut, without any burrs. The jaws of your cutters should meet perfectly, right down to the tip.
2. Flat nose pliers = used to shape wire and make accurate angles and bends.
3. Long nose or chain nose pliers = again used to shape your wire (also a favourite with chainmaillers) but also to get into those awkward spots where you need to tuck a wire end in.
4. Round nose pliers = used to create loops and spirals
5. Nylon jaw pliers = used to flatten shapes you have made, straighten kinked wire, they can also be use d to harden wire slightly.
6. Ring mandrel = used to make ring shanks and large circles and loops. There are two types, tapered and stepped. I use a tapered, stepped mandrels are used to make large thick shanks.


Optional tools:

These are investment tools, that you may want to consider getting to aid your wire addiction!!

1. Chasing hammer (jewellers) = for flattening and shaping wire.
2. Rawhide hammer = for hardening wire.
3. Jewellery tumbler (and steel shot) = for hardening and high polishing your finished pieces
4. Bracelet mandrel = for shaping bracelets and cuffs.
5. Jigs = used to create shapes, ideal for making multiple identical links. There are many varieties on the market, the most well known being Wig Jig. They are generally a drilled board with removable pegs, which you position in the desired layout and then wrap the wire around.


Wire:

The sizes I have detailed below are the ones I most commonly work with, there is a whole array of other sizes available.

1. 28 gauge or 0.315mm, this is very, very thin wire, used for coiling and weaving, it is not suitable as structure wire.
2. 24 gauge 0r 0.5mm, this is great for binding or wrapping briolettes, can be used for spirals as long as they are not supportive.
3. 20 gauge or 0.8mm, this is used mainly for creating spirals and wire details, it can also be used for structures when there are other supporting wires available.
4. 18 gauge or 1mm, this is used as structure wire.


There are 3 different hardnesses for wire, the one you choose to work with is really up to personal preference.

1. Soft = as the name suggests, soft wire is very pliable and easy to shape, it takes longer to work harden and is therefore less likely to snap, however it does not tend to hold its shape as well as the others and generally requires hardening once your design is complete.
2. Half Hard = this is the hardness I generally work with – it is the happy medium as it is soft enough to be able to shape without too much trouble and yet hard enough to hold its shape.
3. Hard = this is very hard – too hard for me to work with, but for some designs that need to be very rigid whilst you are working on them, you may want to consider this option.

Types of wire:

Learning to work with wire can be an expensive process. When you first start you will find that you get through a lot of wire, just learning the basic techniques, this can be all the more frustrating if you are working with precious metals, as every mistake is an expensive one. I always recommend that when you are learning or trying out a new technique you work first with ‘practice wire’ while you master it so that you can move onto precious metals with confidence.

Practice wire:

1. Copper, this is readily available, cheap and easy to work with, making it most people’s first choice as a practice wire. Copper is becoming more and more popular, some even prefer it to silver or gold as using this medium makes their designs more affordable. Bear in mind though that when copper comes into contact with skin it will discolour. There are sealing products on the market but I have not tried them myself and they need to be reapplied as they do wear off.
2. Silver plated, again this is easy to get hold of and very cheap. It is generally copper wire with a thin sterling silver layer. It is very easy to work with and initially looks great, but with time and wear the silver coating comes off, leaving the copper exposed which compromises the overall look of your design.
3. Artistic wire, very cheap and available in a whole myriad of colours allowing you to create vibrant and playful pieces. As with the others though, this is generally coated copper wire and the coating will wear off.

Precious metals:

1. Sterling Silver, this is my wire of choice. It is normally 92.5% sliver and 7.5% other metals (usually copper), this makes it stronger than fine silver and able to withstand the manipulation of coiling and weaving without snapping. However, due to the mixed metal content it will tarnish with time and does need to be cleaned to keep it looking its best. It is available in round, half round and square in the full range of hardness’s and sizes.
2. Fine silver, this is generally 99.9% pure silver. It is very soft, too soft for a lot of wirework projects. It is great when working with a torch though, very easy to create balled ends or for use with solder.
3. Argentium Silver,  its main advantage is its low tarnish. It is still an alloy but some of the copper has been replaced with Germanium.
4. Gold, this is not a metal I tend to work with, purely out of personal preference – I love silver!!! Gold wire is available in all the sizes and shapes that you can find silver in, it is of course a lot more expensive.
5. Platinum, fast becoming the holy grail of wire for wire workers, it retains all the beauty of silver but with added value, new products in platinum are being introduced to the market all the time.

There are some general rules to follow when working with wire too:

1. Do not allow your wire to kink. This is essential when weaving and coiling with thin wire, whilst you are working, always pay attention to what your wire is doing, if a loop forms, stop what you are doing and untwist the loop – loops become kinks and kinks snap!!!
2. Be aware of work hardening. As I have previously mentioned, wire becomes work hardened, the more you work it, the harder it gets and will eventually snap, which can be really annoying as you can guarantee it will always snap at a crucial point. Try to handle your wire as little as possible, when shaping try to get it right first time, you can re-do it once, maybe even twice without a problem, but any more than that and you will compromise the strength of your wire and run the risk of it breaking. When working with thin wire, always hold it at the very end (treat it like a needle) and try to avoid running it through your fingers, as this will make it springy and likely to for loops (and you know what that means!).
3. Be careful of plier marks. Getting the right grip on your pliers is vital – take some time to practice this. If you hold too tightly you will mark your wire, hold too softly and the wire will slip again marking it.
4. Don’t let the wire win!! Sometimes wire has a mind of its own, don’t allow it to get the better of you. If it is being particularly disagreeable, stop, put it down and go back to it later, with your fresh eyes and hands, it will be no match for you!!!



Coming soon = More tools