Adjusting Purchased Ear Wires

by Judy Larson

The holes in ear lobes may stretch out over time, especially if heavier earrings were habitually worn.

Ear lobes may also thin and/or crease with age. Hook style earrings are then no longer the best option.

Lever back earrings and post earrings may work better. Here are a few ways to change some the earrings in your wardrobe that may work better for you.

Instructions

An important note

If purchased earring findings are shiny silver, they may be rhodium plated to prevent tarnishing.

Silver jewelry is often plated with nickel before the rhodium is applied, which can cause problems when soldering.

The nickel can bubble up through the rhodium.

While rhodium can be sanded away from high spots easily, nickel is harder to remove.

Both nickel and rhodium remain in the low spots, and rhodium does not take a liver of sulfur patina.

A simple fix to make earrings fit better

Sometimes huggie-style earrings don't hug the earlobe tightly enough and can shift forward, exposing the wire shank not a good look.

You can gently bend the upper portion of the back, at the intersection forming the "Y" shape (as shown by the right earring in the photo), to help it hug the earlobe better.

Avoid bending the thicker part of the hinged earring back, as this can damage the hinge mechanism.

Older earrings or those made from non-precious metals may be brittle and prone to breaking at this point.

When adjusting purchased earrings, work slowly and don't expect to make big shape changes.

Changing a lever back to a stud

Ooooooohhhhh diamond earring findings paired with semi-precious emerald drops! What's not to love?

WireJewelry offers diamond earring findings with three sparkly diamonds in each lever-back earring.

A half-drilled bead can be glued onto the twisted square wire post centered in the dangle cap.

This high-end twisted square wire detail is rare and ensures the bead stays securely attached once glued.

You can create stick diamond stud earrings by removing the bottom loop and filing and refining the area.

Judy Larson's Adjusting Purchased Ear Wires - Changing a lever back to a stud, General Education, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, changing a lever back to a stud

I really wanted emerald drops on studs, so I removed the dangle.

First, open the lever back.

The arrow shows the wire between the front and back of the lever-back earring finding that you cut to remove the lever back.

Judy Larson's Adjusting Purchased Ear Wires - , General Education, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, changing a lever back to a stud

Judy Larson's Adjusting Purchased Ear Wires - , General Education, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, cut to remove the lever back

Carefully straighten the curved portion of the earring using flat-nose pliers.

Start at the outer tip and flatten just that small section.

Remember, you're flattening the wire not bending it.

Work gently and slowly, moving up the curve until the wire hook is completely straightened.

Now that the wire hook is straightened, use a Grobet file-cut 2 to refine the area where the hinge was cut to remove the earring back.

Finish smoothing and polishing the cut end with very fine sanding pads or sandpaper.

Judy Larson's Adjusting Purchased Ear Wires - , General Education, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, sanding and polishing the cut end.

Use the tips of round-nose pliers to press a groove around the wire post about 1/8" from the end.

This groove acts as a "stop" for the ear nut.

Judy Larson's Adjusting Purchased Ear Wires - , General Education, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Use a round-nose pliers to press a groove around the wire

The post may not be perfectly round or might be slightly too large to fit through an ear nut.

Use a bead reamer to carefully enlarge the hole on the ear nut, checking the fit of the ear post often. Metal filed away can never be added back!

The loops on these diamond earrings and emerald drops do not open.

If you need to cut an opening, do it on the less expensive drops to avoid costly mistakes.

Then, attach the drops to the earrings.

Judy Larson's Adjusting Purchased Ear Wires - , General Education, Butane Torch, Soldering, Solder, Attach the drops to the earrings

Larger Ear Nuts on Post Earrings Prevent Drooping Earrings

Reader-Optimized Version
Average ear nuts are about 5.2mm in diameter, though some are larger or smaller.

Jumbo ear nuts measure around 9.5mm, covering more area and helping prevent post earrings from drooping on the earlobe.

Larger silicone or plastic ear nuts are also available for those with sensitive skin.

The emerald drop ball post earrings with standard ear nuts work well for my daughter, but not for me.

No matter the earrings' weight or style, I replaced all my standard ear nuts with larger ones, and they no longer droop on my earlobes.

Materials

Sterling Silver Lever Backs w/ Diamonds 11x16.5mm - Pack of 2

K19-103

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $130.84
Gold Club Price: $98.13

Add to Bag

Sterling Silver Earnuts Jumbo 9.5mm w/.95mm Hole - Pack of 4

K19-31

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $5.56
Gold Club Price: $4.17

Add to Bag

Add All Items to Cart

Tools

Flat Nose Wire Pliers

G2-506

G2-506
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $32.95
Gold Club Price: $24.71

Add to Bag

Deluxe Bead Reamer Set

DIB-275.00

DIB-275.00
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $15.57
Gold Club Price: $11.68

Add to Bag

Round Nose Wire Pliers

G2-507

G2-507
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $32.95
Gold Club Price: $24.71

Add to Bag

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

Add to Bag

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

Add to Bag

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

Add to Bag

WET/DRY PAPER 9 X 11 ASST- 20PC- 2EA GRIT 180-3000

ABR-500.90

ABR-500.90
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $24.95
Gold Club Price: $18.71

Add to Bag

Optional Tools

WireJewelry - Ultimate Wire-Pliers Jewelry Pliers with Case, Set of 5

G15-20

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $170.72
Gold Club Price: $128.04

Add to Bag

Add All Items to Cart

Category: General Education
Technique(s): Butane Torch Techniques

Reviews

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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!