Finishing a Wire Wrap

[upsided0wnducks]

So I've been thinking about trying to make my wire wraps more durable, I've heard about heat treating wire in the oven so that it becomes harder and won't bend as easily once you've wrapped a piece, but I worry about damaging the stones that are wrapped. Does anyone use this technique or have a better one to use that will harden wire without hurting the stones wrapped in it?

I'm also curious about other things people do to finish their wire wraps? I've yet to run into any wire wrappers here in NE to talk to about things so still relying on what I hear from all of you for new ideas and bettering my work

Krista

[Tigger]

Krista, some wrappers will tumble their wraps in stainlees steel pellets or shot. This will harden the wire while polishing it and doesn't seem to hurt the stones. Ronda does this, hopefully she will chime in with the facts. I haven't tried it yet cause I don't have a dedicated tumble barrel to use.

Good luck!

[drocknut]

I just basically let the wrap stand on it's own with no tumbling or hardening. Usually the wire gets hard as you wrap so I haven't felt the need to harden it. I may be wrong about that but it's what I do. I do try to wipe it with a bit of denatured alcohol after wrapping just to get rid of any tape residue or fingerprints.

[dbrealityrocks]

I've never used dead soft wire, always half hard for that reason. Sterling works great but the argentium is much less forgiving. I have broken 3 wires out of the 50 wraps I did this last week. These were single bends not even trying to rebend. I'm not sure I'll keep using the argentium. Maybe w/anti-taernish strips I won't have to polish the sterling so much. I did notice that after a few days the argentium will turn the polishing cloth black and get shinier so I'm a little skeptical about the non tarnish thing.

[amyk]

I use dead soft argentium and have never had a problem with either wrapping it. (It doesn't break for me.) It seems to get hard enough for me without doing anything to it. It will be a little bendable still after I wrap it, but after a few days it is a lot harder.

[TByrd]

Here is a link on hardening of Argentium Sterling Silver from You Tube.

Hop it helps you figure it out.

He tells you that you should remove the stone.

Tammy

[akansan]

Yeah, I tumble harden mine after wrapping. The wire doesn't necessarily need it, as you do work harden the piece as you wrap, but it makes everything just a bit harder and less pliable. It also has the added benefit of polishing all the bits and pieces.

I would be very hesitant to heat the piece to harden, as I believe that's actually a very slow process to HARDEN a piece through heat. Annealing wire - making it softer - is also used through heat, but is a fast, higher heat process. The only time I've seen instructions on hardening through heat it involved an actual kiln?

[TByrd]

Sorry the link did not post, let me find it again and post it. It is an interesting video.

Tammy

[TByrd]

Here it is

[aunuts]

I've never felt the need to treat mine either. Maybe one day.......
jo

[superioragates]

I have tumbled mine, and nothing happens to them. I just put a teaspoon of borax in with the steel shot to "wash" it while it tumbles.....shines the wire up like you wouldnt believe, and it hardens the wrap as well. It's a solid nice finish

[upsided0wnducks]

Hmm the link still didn't work...

I haven't tumbled stones or anything, what kind of set up do you use to tumble wraps?

[TByrd]

You need a tumbler, steel shot, assorted shapes are best, to get into nooks and crannies, dawn and a little time. It will make all your tiny wires very hard and the jewelry will not only take on a much more durable strucure but it should last 20 years longer beause the wires are now so hard and durable. Tumbling work hardens the wire while it cleans and polishes. But you need to take care with gold fill, you only have a thin layer of gold and can rub or wear it off. You should use it only one time for about 2 hours max. You can start with a light solution of dishwashing detergent (DAWN) and a little water.

Tammy

[upsided0wnducks]

Thanks so much Tammy, now all I've got to do is get a tumbler and everything else lol

Krista

[TByrd]

That is about the size of it.

Good luck,
Tammy