Today's jewelry tip involves crimp beads. I absolutely only recommend using sterling silver crimps beads, the silver plated crimp beads will just split apart within just a few weeks of using them. I do believe that using a crimping tool is the best way to fold your crimp bead. When you just flatten them, that gives an opportunity for your wire or cord to slip out, using the crimp tool, folds the crimp back over itself assuring a tight secure hold. Which is after all, what you want on every piece of jewelry that you design.
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You're absolutely right on about the crimp beads. It is so important to have a high quality crimp as it is the main thing holding a necklace or bracelet together. I once read about using tiny little 2mm sterling beads for crimps...DON'T ! The tiny beads are nice for spacers but far too fragile and thin walled for the demands of a crimp bead. I also once used 14k gold crimps in a high in design that I made, the gold was just too soft, and the walls of the gold crimps much thinner that those of the sterling, it didn't have enough body to it and wasn't strong enough to secure the beading cable. I ended up having to restring the necklace and replace the gold crimps with sterling ones.
ReplyDeleteAfter many years I've learned it is best to use a good thick walled crimp bead, and I always seem to return to the thick walled sterling tube crimps. Your advice is excellent !
Anna