CONSIDER THE CLASP: Making Wire Clasps

Enjoy an entire day focusing on an area of jewelry making that is often overlooked or neglected: the clasp.

Using inexpensive and beautiful steel wire and leather cord, students will create several beautiful
and functionally elegant clasps that would work on necklace or bracelet designs.

Also shown will be creating coiled 'bails' that connect the wire to the leather.

It's a day of elevating the clasp to the art form it truly can be!

SUPPLY LIST

NOTE: Several of the supplies needed for this class can now be purchased directly from me in my online shop: keithlobue.com - just click the 'Consider the Clasp Supplies' category on the left-hand column.

Where possible, I've included links both to US and Australian resources.

TOOLS/MATERIALS:

Note for US students: Volcano Book Arts has a good Metalsmithing starter kit for $80 that comes with a jeweler's saw, Bench Pin, Saw Blades, Rawhide Mallet, Needle Files, Wooden Hand Vise (ring clamp), 2 Storage Tubes for Blades. This will take care of all those items on the list in one hit, so it's recommended: <Here> "Metalsmithing Starter Tool Kit"

Note for Australian students: As many of you are well aware, supplies can be difficult to find here in Oz. I have provided links where I can, and I hope that my new online resource will help make your hunting a bit more successful.

• 'Re-bar tie wire' <here> (also found in most US hardware stores in the construction materials section, near the cinder block and chain-link fencing. IMPORTANT: make sure it is steel or iron wire, NOT galvanized!...it NOTE: Don't order this from me if you live in the US - it is in every Home Depot or Ace. This wire is much harder to find in Australia - I have anticipated this, and have purchased a large shipment of the wire, which Aussies can buy directly from me at keithlobue.com. Note - no need to bring the whole roll, it's heavy - clip off about 1/4 roll to bring.

• roll of 18 or 19 gauge 'dark annealed' steel wire: <here> or <here>. This is for doing smaller clasps or for embellishing larger ones. Not required, but nice to have the option...

• Hard-wire 'memory-wire' shear cutter <Here>

• Leather or rubber cord any kind of cord is fine - rattail, leather, suede, rubber, rope, etc.

• rawhide mallet US students <Here>, Australian students <Here>

• table bench vise US students <here> Aussie students <Here> for the bigger, and <Here> for the smaller. DON'T buy the kind that swivel on a ball-joint (hobby/light-use), or a hollow construction vice - the one you'll need has to be similar in design to the one pictured.

• steel bench block: NOTE: If your bench vise has a flat anvil surface attached, you won't need this! US students <Here> Australian students <Here> Be sure to use a sandbag (even some sand in a Ziplok bag will do) to put under your block--it'll make it much quieter!

• an 8oz. (225g) or 16oz. (450g) ball pein hammer US students <here> or <here>, Aussie students <here>

• a pair of linesman pliers Here is a link to the great Crescent ones I use in the class - US students <Here> Australian students <Here>

• a pair of miniature lineman's pliers - Not required, just very recommended! <Here>

• jewelry pliers: a standard round nose and flat-nose jewelry plier (available at any bead/jewelry supply)

• large round-nose plier A necessity for working with chunkier forms in the steel wire. <Here>

• Drill bit set - <Here> We'll be using the drill bits to coil the wire around the backs of - if you have a mandrel set, bring that instead.

• Brass or wire brush - <Here>

• super-fine (0000) steel wool - find it in a paint-supply section of a hardware store

• a decent quality beeswax furniture wax polish (not the liquid, and not car wax, but furniture wax in a flat can), or, if you want the best, a can of Renaissance Wax - US students <here>, Australian students <here>.

• An assortment of jump-rings - you can buy them at a bead store, any metal is fine . If you'd rather make steel rings to go with your clasps, see optional tools below.

OPTIONAL TOOLS/MATERIALS:

IF YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE YOUR OWN JUMP RINGS:

jewelers saw - if you want to make your own jump rings... get as 'deep' a frame as you can - US students <here>, Aussie students <here>.

• Jewelers saw blades - US students <here>, Australian students - a few dozen of 2/0 size <here>, and if you've ordered my jump-ring jig, get some #2 size <here>.

• The Stuffsmith Portable Jump-Ring Jig <Here>. NOTE: THIS IS NOT REQUIRED, only highly recommended - you'll see it in action in the class. I make each one to order, so order early for timely delivery.

• 2 micro bar clamps (only IF you're getting the jump-ring jig above) - US students <here> Aussies: A great discount on 4 slightly larger ones, which are fantastic, are <here>

Please email me with any questions you might have that this page didn't address.

Keith

	CONSIDER THE CLASP: Making Wire Clasps Enjoy an entire day focusing on an area of jewelry making that is often overlooked or neglected: the clasp. Using inexpensive and beautiful steel wire and leather cord, students will create several beautiful and functionally elegant clasps that would work on necklace or bracelet designs. Also shown will be creating coiled 'bails' that connect the wire to the leather. It's a day of elevating the clasp to the art form it truly can be! SUPPLY LIST NOTE: Several of the supplies needed for this class can now be purchased directly from me in my online shop: keithlobue.com - just click the 'Consider the Clasp Supplies' category on the left-hand column. Where possible, I've included links both to US and Australian resources. TOOLS/MATERIALS: Note for US students: Volcano Book Arts has a good Metalsmithing starter kit for $80 that comes with a jeweler's saw, Bench Pin, Saw Blades, Rawhide Mallet, Needle Files, Wooden Hand Vise (ring clamp), 2 Storage Tubes for Blades. This will take care of all those items on the list in one hit, so it's recommended: <Here> "Metalsmithing Starter Tool Kit" Note for Australian students: As many of you are well aware, supplies can be difficult to find here in Oz. I have provided links where I can, and I hope that my new online resource will help make your hunting a bit more successful. • 'Re-bar tie wire' <here> (also found in most US hardware stores in the construction materials section, near the cinder block and chain-link fencing. IMPORTANT: make sure it is steel or iron wire, NOT galvanized!...it NOTE: Don't order this from me if you live in the US - it is in every Home Depot or Ace. This wire is much harder to find in Australia - I have anticipated this, and have purchased a large shipment of the wire, which Aussies can buy directly from me at keithlobue.com. Note - no need to bring the whole roll, it's heavy - clip off about 1/4 roll to bring. • roll of 18 or 19 gauge 'dark annealed' steel wire: <here> or <here>. This is for doing smaller clasps or for embellishing larger ones. Not required, but nice to have the option... • Hard-wire 'memory-wire' shear cutter <Here> • Leather or rubber cord any kind of cord is fine - rattail, leather, suede, rubber, rope, etc. • rawhide mallet US students <Here>, Australian students <Here> • table bench vise US students <here> Aussie students <Here> for the bigger, and <Here> for the smaller. DON'T buy the kind that swivel on a ball-joint (hobby/light-use), or a hollow construction vice - the one you'll need has to be similar in design to the one pictured. • steel bench block: NOTE: If your bench vise has a flat anvil surface attached, you won't need this! US students <Here> Australian students <Here> Be sure to use a sandbag (even some sand in a Ziplok bag will do) to put under your block--it'll make it much quieter! • an 8oz. (225g) or 16oz. (450g) ball pein hammer US students <here> or <here>, Aussie students <here> • a pair of linesman pliers Here is a link to the great Crescent ones I use in the class - US students <Here> Australian students <Here> • a pair of miniature lineman's pliers - Not required, just very recommended! <Here> • jewelry pliers: a standard round nose and flat-nose jewelry plier (available at any bead/jewelry supply) • large round-nose plier A necessity for working with chunkier forms in the steel wire. <Here> • Drill bit set - <Here> We'll be using the drill bits to coil the wire around the backs of - if you have a mandrel set, bring that instead. • Brass or wire brush - <Here> • super-fine (0000) steel wool - find it in a paint-supply section of a hardware store • a decent quality beeswax furniture wax polish (not the liquid, and not car wax, but furniture wax in a flat can), or, if you want the best, a can of Renaissance Wax - US students <here>, Australian students <here>. • An assortment of jump-rings - you can buy them at a bead store, any metal is fine . If you'd rather make steel rings to go with your clasps, see optional tools below. OPTIONAL TOOLS/MATERIALS: IF YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE YOUR OWN JUMP RINGS: jewelers saw - if you want to make your own jump rings... get as 'deep' a frame as you can - US students <here>, Aussie students <here>. • Jewelers saw blades - US students <here>, Australian students - a few dozen of 2/0 size <here>, and if you've ordered my jump-ring jig, get some #2 size <here>. • The Stuffsmith Portable Jump-Ring Jig <Here>. NOTE: THIS IS NOT REQUIRED, only highly recommended - you'll see it in action in the class. I make each one to order, so order early for timely delivery. • 2 micro bar clamps (only IF you're getting the jump-ring jig above) - US students <here> Aussies: A great discount on 4 slightly larger ones, which are fantastic, are <here> Please email me with any questions you might have that this page didn't address. Keith