Daily Wire Tip: Smooth Ends on Wire Wrapped Rings

Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip

Question:

I’ve been using 24- to 20-gauge wire recently for wrapped rings. What do you suggest to smooth out the end of the wire that rests against the ring finger at the end of the project?

-Mary Ann in Manhattan Beach, CA

Answer:

Mary Ann, the easiest way I know of to smooth the end of any wire used in a design is to either use a diamond file, an emery board, or a sharpening stone.

If the wire is square, file the end on an angle that is away from the creation’s base, creating an oblong surface at the end of the wire. Add a slight curve to the filed end that will cause it to curve into the base, eliminating the sharp end.

Another way to perform this technique is to use your chain nose pliers on the wire’s very end. Mash the wire’s end with your pliers, causing it to flatten, and at the same time, pull the end toward the base, adding a slight curve. Then use pliers to push it into place.

Even if the wire is round or half round, you can use either of the same techniques.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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11 Comments

1. 

   Kay

   November 23, 2010 at 8:30 am

   Thanks for the information. I also use my crimping pliers to round out the wire wrap.
   • 

     Grace

     February 12, 2013 at 8:13 am

     I do the very same thing and have for years! I use the very first opening in my “Mighty Crimper” pliers and it works beautifully for both rings and for wrapped loops. The wire lays perfectly flat without deforming the wraps or position of my wires. The Mighty Crimpers are so large that most crimps are too small for these pliers to mash…I can only suspect they were originally made for us wire benders? ; )
2. 

   Joan Church

   November 23, 2010 at 10:16 am

   I use a cup burr to round the wire ends. Very handy little tool and much quicker and easier than using a file.
   • 

     dalecgr

     November 23, 2010 at 12:40 pm

     Yes Joan, a cup burr works well on round wire such as for earring hooks, but not as well on square or half round wire. It has been my experience that square wire needs to be made flat to lay flat and a cup burr makes it rounded.
     • 

       Donna

       July 24, 2012 at 6:00 am

       I have also put my cup burr on my wire twister / drill to give more power to filing my wire ends.
3. 

   Mary Ann

   November 23, 2010 at 12:30 pm

   Thanks, Dale, that will help tremendously.
   • 

     dalecgr

     November 23, 2010 at 12:37 pm

     Glad to help Mary Ann, sometimes the simplest things make wire work so much easier. If you get into the habit of doing the ‘mash, pull & curve’ technique all the time, you will never have sharp ends again!
4. 

   Barbara Wolf

   November 23, 2010 at 4:20 pm

   It is a very helpful tip, thank you
5. 

   Robin Lutsky

   November 23, 2010 at 5:44 pm

   It all depends on the wire. For square wire an emery board works the best and round wire I find the mash and pull method
   works best.
6. 

   Mary F

   July 27, 2012 at 9:56 am

   I’ve found the battery driven bead reamer to be wonderful and before that I used my rotary tool to round off before tucking in.
7. 

   David

   July 12, 2016 at 12:56 pm

   I put the ring on the mandrill and twist pretty hard. That flattens the whole inside. Any further roughness gets filed. I bought a bunch of chainsaw files and they work well. I haven’t used crimping pliers yet, but they should make finishing wraps easier. Thanks all.