Making Neckwires

by Judy Larson

Category: Contemporary
Technique(s): Making Findings, General Education
Skill Level: Beginner

A simple wire collar can be perfect for a pendant. A neckwire can also be embellished to make a beautiful neckpiece all on its own. The sky is the limit with these easy to make additions to a jewelry wardrobe.

Materials

10 Gauge Round Dead Soft .925 Sterling Silver Wire

H8-10D

Lesson Quantity: 18.00 inches
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 5FT
Price: $166.32
Gold Club Price: $124.74

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Tools

Xuron Flush Cutter - Pack of 1

G2-504

G2-504
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $29.95
Gold Club Price: $22.46

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Bench Blocks - 130 X 130 X 20

DUR-1187

DUR-1187
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $65.33
Gold Club Price: $49.00

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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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Polished Cast Iron Neck Mandrel

G7-12

G7-12
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $99.95
Gold Club Price: $74.96

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Nylon Bracelet Bending Plier

PLR-840.00

PLR-840.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $19.97
Gold Club Price: $14.98

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GROBET FILE - BARRETTE CUT 2, 6"

FIL-31.030

FIL-31.030
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $31.20
Gold Club Price: $23.40

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Instructions

Step 1

Read through all the directions before starting the project.

Using wire cutters for heavy gauge wire, cut a 15" length of 10 gauge round wire.

Pro Tip: Using 12 gauge round wire will make a more delicate looking neckwire. Finished neckwires made from thinner gauge wires are not as stable. This length will fit an average to small neck. Add one half inch to one inch to make a neckwire for a larger neck.

Judy Larson's Making Neckwires - , Contemporary Wire Jewelry, Findings, Clasps, Components, , making neckwires

Step 2

Round neckwire: Start shaping the wire around a large cylindrical object, which in this case was the barrel of a tumbler, but a large juice can will work as well. Use a rawhide mallet if needed. Note: The unweighted mallet seen here has not been conditioned, which is what should always be used as the hard varnished surface can mar metals. I pulled a new one out of my bench drawer because I was too lazy to walk the few steps across the room to get the one I usually use. Start rounding the neckwire shape with a bracelet bending pliers.

"V" neckwire: Mark the center of the wire with a Sharpie marker. Grasp the wire on the marked line between the jaws on the largest barrel of the Wrap 'N' Tap pliers. Bend the wires evenly around the barrel, creating a "V" shape as shown, and making sure the wire ends are exactly the same length.

Step 3

While shaping either version, try to keep the wire as flat as possible. Continue to curve the round neckwire with the bracelet bending pliers. Once the shape is rounded, the ends will overlap. Curve only the back portion of the neckwires on the "V" neckwire. As seen in the photo, the curve starts about 2 inches up from the tip of the "V" on the one inch grid background. Also, notice that the "V" shape is narrower than the circular neckwire, which could be made into a more elongated oval, if desired.

Step 4

Place the neckwire on a bench block. Hammer a texture on the front half of either neckwire, the portion that will show when done. Leave the part that will be on the sides and back of the neck untextured at this point. The overlapped portions of the wire at the back of the neckwire can be pulled apart about an inch during the shaping.

Step 5

Option A: A neck mandrel is wonderful for shaping neckwires. For either neckwire, place the neckwire on the mandrel. Hold the front of the neckwire in place on the mandrel. Masking tape or painters tape is helpful, but the wire still needs to be held in place by hand. Hammer texture the wire on the neck sides and back.

But what if a neck mandrel is not available. The back half of the neckwire does not have to be textured and can be finished as is. But, if texture is desired, there are two options.

Option B: Hammer texture the rest of the neckwire. It will be difficult, but two soft jaw pliers can be used to curve the shape. One holds the wire steady while the other twists to get the textured side of the wire in the right place.

Option C: Know where on the curve of the wire the texture needs to be. It can be helpful to mark that area with a Sharpie marker. Place the marked side up on the base of a bracelet mandrel and texture.

Shaping Option B and C: Just above the knee is generally the same shape as your shoulders. This is the perfect place to obtain the bend for the side of the neck-left knee for the left side, right knee for the right side.

Step 6

File and sand the wire ends round and smooth. This could be done before the texturing and shaping, but hammering the ends can leave sharp corners and waiting to file now saves a bit of time. Do not try the neckwire on until the ends are finished and smooth.

Step 7

Pull the wire ends apart just a bit and slip on your neck. Note where shaping adjustments are needed. Use the bracelet bending pliers to make the adjustments to the neckwire shape. Note that the back ends of the wire curve down. This makes for a more comfortable fit. The ends are about an inch apart so the neckwire will stay put.

Step 8

Once all the adjustments have been made, polish the neckwire. Since the surface of the neckwire was not marred using metal pliers, sponge nail buffing blocks are perfect for this. Work from the coarsest to the finest grit to bring up a great shine.

Step 9

Final adjustments may be needed. When placed on a flat surface, the back tips of the neckwire should both touch the surface. Both sides of the neckwire should be curved up from the surface the same distance and curved out from center the same amount. It does not take much adjusting/bending to achieve this.

Step 10

During the classes sponsored by wirejewelry.com at the 2020 Tuscon Gem Show, I worked along with the instructors and made quite a number of things, learning a few new tricks along the way. These neckwires are a fabulous way to show off some of the pendants I made during those few days-Linda Larsen Shaping and Forming, Linda Larsen Architecture, and Kim St. Jean Puzzle Piece-as well as pendants you want to be visible in an open necked or v-necked top.

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!