Arts & Crafts

Silversmithing without Specialized Equipment

Silver is a beautiful metal that is one of the easiest to work into many different shapes and forms.  The finish is easy to maintain and jewelers have enjoyed working it since around the 16^th century when Spaniards came to southwest America.  The Mexican people learned how to silversmith from the Spaniards and the knowledge was shared with the Indians of the area.  Documentation of Navajo Indian use and wearing of silver appears as early as 1795.  The skill is taught to new generations as a form of cultural awareness and as a method of support.

Gemstones were and are an important part of the most valued pieces of American Indian jewelry.  These include the indigenous turquoise stones as well as coral and onyx, for which they traded animal hides and other goods in the early years of silversmithing. 

Today, it is easy to find jewelry-making classes in nearly any college art department.  But, if you want to do something on your own, without specialized equipment and with a close eye on safety, it is very possible to create some beautiful, original creations.  While simply crafted, they can be used as gifts or presented for sale.  The materials are easy to find at art or craft supply stores and most lapidary shops.

Simple wire twisting and bending can make some very charming earrings and necklaces.  You don’t need to do any soldering or other manipulation if you explore the options of tight twist endings on your loops and twists.  With silver wire, alone, you can create some dynamic looking jewelry.

Silver wire wrapping is almost as instantaneous as silver twisting/bending.  Silver wire, which is very easy to bend and will hold shapes easily, is the base material used.  With the addition of stones of various colors, shapes and sizes, you can create beautiful pendants, earrings and broaches.  Practice some of the simple techniques and you will soon be ready to master the art of ornate curls and bends.  It won’t take you long to realize the methods of holding stones in place by the type of designs you create with the wire.  Use tight-nosed pliers to form tight circles and square-nosed to make angles.  Look around and see what “tools” you already have that will form the silver in unusual ways.

Using a one-foot scrap of soft copper wire, experiment with the bends and shapes you like best.  This practice will make the final use of silver more effective and will save you the money of unsuccessful wire bending.  Use forms such as nails, round pencils or hexagon-shaped handles of tools around the house or garage.  You will find that there are very neat shapes possible when you look for forms to bend around. 

With a cabochon (a gem or bead cut in convex form and highly polished but not faceted) that has a flat back, you can loop and bend the wire across the back and around the edges.  With a square or emerald cut stone, you can catch the corners with loops and bends and hold the stone firmly in place.  Add loops and you can display from a neck chain; or, in pairs, you can create earrings.

With sheet silver, you can stamp or press designs into the surface to create a textured look.  These textures can be created with any tool or found object that gives the desired shape/design or hole.  Smooth the surface with emery paper and use a rubber hammer to bend the strip into a bracelet shape.  Certain chemicals can be applied to the surface to create patina finishes and are available wherever jewelry supplies are sold.  Caution:  Read the directions before using.  Many of these chemicals are very hazardous if mishandled.  Wear protective coverings over eyes and hands and do not inhale the vapors!

So, even without soldering, you can create simple yet elegant silver jewelry.  It is not super expensive to make, but the result can surely look high-end.