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Kristal's Top 5 Tips for Wireworking

by Kristal Wick
There are about a million tips for wire working and it was realllllly hard to narrow it down to 5 but in my opinion, these are game changers. So, give them a try!
Flush cut your wire ends using a flush cutter. This seems rather obvious but if you get in a hurry like I do, I tend to cut corners on doing this. Whether you're making your own jump rings (they fit so nicely together when you flush cut each side-look ma, no gap!) or making a simple loop, everything fits better in the long run if you make this a habit. First picture: bad. Second picture: Good!
Kristal Wick's Kristal's Top 5 Tips for Wireworking - , General Education, , bad wire cut
Kristal Wick's Kristal's Top 5 Tips for Wireworking - , General Education, , good wire cut
Everybody needs a hand. A third hand that is! This baby comes in handy for so many reasons-once you have one you'll believe me. My favorite use is stabilizing a piece while I'm wire wrapping. I place some kind of grippy square (Ultra-Polish Pads are perfect) around the piece so it doesn't get marred or move around in the jaws. Then you have 2 free hands to wrap 'til the cows come home.
Kristal Wick's Kristal's Top 5 Tips for Wireworking - , General Education, , third hand
Always use nylon jaw pliers when working with any type of coated wire. Colored wires are usually coated and using regular metal pliers can scratch the coating off or make dents in the coating. They're also great for wire straightening.
Kristal Wick's Kristal's Top 5 Tips for Wireworking - , General Education, , nylon jaw pliers
Don't forget to check your backside (and I'm don't mean your booty). Make it a habit of turning your piece over and regularly checking the backside to make sure all is well. It's easy to get lost in the wire wrapping vortex and keep wrapping away without taking the time to check the back side. Trust me, you'll be happy you did!
Kristal Wick's Kristal's Top 5 Tips for Wireworking - , General Education, , wire tips
Always purchase the BEST tools you can when making a tool purchase. I started out with the cheapest tools and got frustrated right away thinking I'll never catch on. A wise teacher placed a really superior tool in my hand and immediately I felt like an expert. Logically, it doesn't seem like it's that big a deal but it is! So whatever your pocketbook can part with, get the best!

Materials

18 Gauge Round Half Hard 1/10 Sterling Silver Filled Wire
H10-18H
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
  • Price: $1.45
  • Gold Club Price: $1.09
Out of Stock
20 Gauge Round Half Hard .925 Sterling Silver Wire
H8-20H
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
  • Price: $3.39
  • Gold Club Price: $2.54
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24 Gauge Round Silver Plated Baby Blue Copper Craft Wire - 60 ft
H17-F24-60FT
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $7.80
  • Gold Club Price: $5.85
Add to Bag
Other wire options
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Beads
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Cabochons
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Tools

WireJewelry - Ultimate Wire-Pliers Jewelry Pliers with Case, Set of 5
G15-20
  • G15-20
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $170.72
  • Gold Club Price: $128.04
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Helping Hand with Magnifying Glass
G10-9
  • G10-9
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $5.95
  • Gold Club Price: $4.46
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WireJewelry Ultra Pro Micro Abrasive Polishing Pads, 20 pack
G9-5-20PK
  • G9-5-20PK
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $8.95
  • Gold Club Price: $6.71
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Premium Nylon Jaw Pliers
G2-35
  • G2-35
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $14.95
  • Gold Club Price: $11.21
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Replacement Jaws for Premium Nylon Jaw Plier
G2-77
  • G2-77
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $3.98
  • Gold Club Price: $2.98
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Single 3rd Hand with Tweezer and Base
HOL-165.00
  • HOL-165.00
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $18.97
  • Gold Club Price: $14.23
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  • Category: General Education
  • Technique(s): General Education

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