Balled and Paddled Head Pins

by Judy Larson

Category: Findings
Technique(s): Dapping, Butane Torch Techniques
Skill Level: Beginner

Head pins are a staple in every jewelry makers arsenal. Making your own head pins means that your design possibilities are endless. Sometimes, the addition of balled or paddled headpins are all that is needed to complement a design and kick a it up a notch

Hint: You will probably make LOTS of headpins at one time. Store them in clear marked plastic bags labeled with wire gauge used.

Materials

20 Gauge Round Full Hard Argentium .940 Silver Wire

H19-20FH

Lesson Quantity: 5.00 feet
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 5FT
Price: $18.47
Gold Club Price: $13.85

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22 Gauge Round Full Hard Argentium .940 Silver Wire

H19-22FH

Lesson Quantity: 5.00 feet
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 5FT
Price: $10.07
Gold Club Price: $7.55

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18 Gauge Round Half Hard Argentium .940 Silver Wire

H19-18H

Lesson Quantity: 5.00 feet
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 5FT
Price: $26.76
Gold Club Price: $20.07

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Tools

Blazer Big Buddy Turbo Torch, Black

TRCH-8010

TRCH-8010
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $40.00
Gold Club Price: $30.00

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Fire Brick

SOL-485.00

SOL-485.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $15.95
Gold Club Price: $11.96

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Cross Lock Tweezers Straight

TWZ-740.00

TWZ-740.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $4.47
Gold Club Price: $3.35

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7 Piece Mini TruStrike Hammer Set with Stand

HAM-520.70

HAM-520.70
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $140.54
Gold Club Price: $105.40

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Premium Steel Bench Block 2 1/2 X 2 1/2

G17-9

G17-9
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $15.97
Gold Club Price: $11.98

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Acculoop Precision Round Nose

PLR-741.00

PLR-741.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $18.97
Gold Club Price: $14.23

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plastic tubing sleeve

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each

Design Stamp, Contemporary, Star

PUN-103.09

PUN-103.09
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $9.95
Gold Club Price: $7.46

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Design Stamp, Whimsical, Thick Swirl

PUN-109.07

PUN-109.07
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $10.57
Gold Club Price: $7.93

Out of Stock

Pickle Pot, 16 Ounces

CLN-584.00

CLN-584.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $31.95
Gold Club Price: $23.96

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NATURE'S TOUCH CITRIC PICKLE, 2LB PLASTIC JAR

CLN-163.00

CLN-163.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $17.95
Gold Club Price: $13.46

Out of Stock

Stainless Steel Shot - 1 lb Bag

G24-4

G24-4
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $43.95
Gold Club Price: $32.96

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Thumlers Tumbler Model A-R12 Rock Tumbler

G34-130

G34-130
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $348.17
Gold Club Price: $261.13

Out of Stock

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Instructions

Step 1:

Balled Head Pins

Read through the tutorial before starting the project. Follow all safety precautions pertaining to the tools and supplies being used and the space you are working in.

Cut a 2¾" to 3" long piece of 22, 20, or 18 gauge round Argentium wire for each head pin. Each wire will be 3/8" to ½" shorter after the ball is made.

Step 2

Safety consideration: It is important to work over a surface where metal cannot bounce or roll off. Notice the ball of silver on the soldering surface in the last photo. The wire was heated and balled to a point where the ball became too heavy and fell off the wire. You certainly do not want a hot metal ball to bounce in your lap!

Hold the wire end over a soldering surface with cross lock tweezers or old pair of chain nose pliers. Ball one end using the butane micro torch for 20 or 22 gauge wire or a torch head on a butane canister for 18 gauge wire. A butane micro torch will work on 18 gauge wire, but it will take much longer to ball the wire.

You may think that the torch is directly under the wire, but it is not. NEVER use your torch directly under the wire. The tip of the blue part of the flame, the hottest part of the flame inside the cone-shaped flame, should come at the wire from a bit of an angle so the ball does not get pushed off center too much by the force of the flame. The ball should be just outside tip of the blue part of the flame as the flame follows the ball "crawling" up the wire. Wait a few seconds until the ball is no longer red before placing it on the solder brick or on a bench block to cool.

Step 3

Pickle, rinse and dry the balled wires.

Step 4

You may find that the balls on the end of your head pins droop to one side and look like a little golf clubs. An easy fix is to firmly grasp a head pin as close as possible to the ball with the tips of a flat nose pliers. Gently press the ball on a flat surface, moving the ball to a more centered position on the wire.

Step 5:

Paddled Head Pins

Paddled Head Pins are made using balled head pins.
Copper and sterling silver are prone to pitting or having small dents when melted and cooled. Since the balls will be flattened, there is no need to worry about the pitting/dents.

Using a flat faced hammer, flatten the balled wire ends on a bench block. To avoid dents, try to not strike the ball or the wire with the outer edge of the flat faced hammer. You may wish to use the domed face of the planishing hammer to make the head pin more rustic in appearance. If not, continue to flatten the ball, occasionally turning the piece over, until it is round and about the same thickness as the wire shank.

Judy Larson's Balled and Paddled Head Pins - Paddled Head Pins, Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Dapping, Dapping Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, balled and paddle headpins

Step 6

Tumble the head pins for 30 minutes or more to bring up a shine

Step 7

The first photo shows the difference in size of the paddled ends, left to right, of 22, 20, and 18 gauge wire. The second and third photos show 4mm and 8mm beads on each of the sizes of paddled head pins. It is important to note that most 4mm beads do not have holes large enough to accommodate 18 gauge wire, so before making head pins, check to make sure the chosen wire gauge will fit the bead hole.

Step 8:

Paddled Head Pin Charms

Cut 1½" pieces of 18 gauge round wire. One end will be flush cut, and one end will be pointed.

Step 9

Ball and paddle the pointed end of each wire.

Step 10

Design stamps can be used to make the head pins even more custom. Place the paddled head pin on a bench block. Center a decorative stamp on the flattened ball. Stamp. Place a piece of plastic, such as from disposable whipped topping containers, on the bench block. Place the stamped side of the paddled head pin down on the plastic. Center the stamp and stamp the second side of the paddled head pin. A paddled head pin stamped with metal content can be hung on the end of a chain.

Step 11

Even though the ends are flush cut, you may wish to file the end of each paddled piece for a more secure solder join.

Step 12

Since each wire tail will be slightly different in length, an Acculoop precision round nose pliers is used to make loops with each wire tail. The wire tail end should be coiled slightly beyond the paddled end of the wire. When pulling it back to slide over the top of the piece where the paddle and the wire tail meet, the join will be tight.

Step 13

Place a dab of medium paste solder inside the wire loop at the join. Place the charm on a soldering surface as shown. Heat until the solder flows. Cool the pieces on a bench block before continuing.

Step 14

Pickle, rinse and dry the pieces.

Step 15

Slide a bit of plastic tubing onto the smaller side of the Acculoop precision round nose pliers to help avoid plier marks in the soft wire. Slide the soldered paddled charm onto the larger side of the pliers. Squeeze gently all around the loop to round it, if needed. Hint: Save little bits of plastic tubing because they come in handy for lots of things. The tubing comes in a variety of sizes at stores that sell aquarium/pet supplies as well as hardware stores.

Step 16

Center the paddled end by pushing/bending it over the smaller jaw with the plastic tubing sleeve.

Step 17:

Headpins In Use

This is a bracelet I made years ago using odds and ends of beads. It is still one of my favorites, but I felt it would benefit from an update using a few balled and paddled head pins, as well as a different toggle. It also was missing a bead on one of the head pins.

While restringing, the silver beads and findings were cleaned up a bit. BUT, that is when I found that many of the beads and findings that I purchased at a street fair as being sterling silver were actually plated base metal. I even went back to the packages where I keep a few of the beads with the labels, and yes, they are labeled "sterling silver." I was upset to lose the six cute little clapper bells, but since there were already Bali spacer beads on the bracelet, small Bali ones made nice replacement dangles. Lesson learned: Purchase from established, reputable dealers.

Judy Larson's Balled and Paddled Head Pins - Headpins In Use, Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Dapping, Dapping Jewelry, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, balled and paddle headpins

Reviews

Judy Larson

My philosophy has always been "I will never live long enough to learn everything I want to learn, go everywhere I want to go and see everything I want to see!" So, what I make and how I create it is always changing and evolving. I was born shortly after WWII to parents who grew up during the Depression. They always had a "we can do it, we can make it" attitude which rubbed off on my two younger brothers and me. My brothers are amazing and can make and do ANYTHING! When I was a little girl, my mother gave me an old carved cigar box, which I cherish, filled with pop beads, wooden beads and yarn for stringing. That was the beginning of my jewelry making journey.

On a visit to the Grand Canyon when I was a young woman, I was fortunate enough to help a Native American silversmith sand cast my first silver bracelet and bezel set a large turquoise nugget on top. I was in love, hook, line and sinker! While working full time and having a family here in northern Minnesota, my artistic endeavors slowed down but never stopped. I am an artist, scrapbooker, seamstress, woodworker and jewelry artisan. Now that I am retired, I am able to indulge in all my hobbies. However, there just never seems to be enough time in the day to do it all, but I try!

I have been teaching community education beginner and intermediate jewelry making classes since my retirement. Many of my students have been bitten so hard by the jewelry making bug that they say I have turned them into monsters-they just can't get enough. Making jewelry, seeing something take shape from small bits and pieces, is so rewarding that I hope it brings out the "monster" in you, too!