Metal Mimicry

I'm sure no none needs reminding that we are in tough economic times. And while I still buy sterling silver, fine silver, yellow gold-filled and rose gold-filled wire when I can afford to (and while there are folks who can still afford to buy the finished product), I've taken to "faking" the look of these metals with more inexpensive alternatives so that my customers have more options. Here are my favorite "fakers"...


I don't know how many of you have tried plated wire. Do you actually like working with it? I hate working with it. I have various reasons for this, the biggest being that it's just so easy to scratch or chip it. The second biggest reason is that I've yet to make a piece without tumble polishing it, and plated materials don't take kindly to this. And the plastic (or "enameled") wires are so slippery in my pliers I get fed up before I can finish anything. For these reasons I don't use it. Good thing for us there are solid metal alternatives that look great!

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The look of gold...

My personal favorite for imitating the look of gold is red brass (also called rich low brass or jeweler's brass). Unlike it's name would imply, it's not red, but a true gold color. The alloys can range anywhere from 70% copper/30% zinc to 90% copper/10% zinc (I use 85%/15%). Not being a metalurgist, I can only assume that the higher the copper content, the "warmer" the color.

Please do not confuse jeweler's brass with yellow brass. While yellow brass has a "gold" color, to my eye it looks decidedly greenish. I still like it for some things, but if what you want is something that looks like real gold, stick with jeweler's brass.


Rose gold beautiful...

Copper is one of my favorite metals. It's nearly-pink color pleases my eye. I suppose that's why I love rose gold so much too. However, the two don't even come close in color. I guess you could fool someone that's not really familiar with rose gold, but when holding the two next to each other the differences become immediately apparent. Copper is so much darker and pinker. They are so different that I don't even worry about mistaking these two. But there is one type of wire I have to label so that I don't confuse it with my rose gold-filled wire...

On a whim one day (and because I love to experiment), I decided to try bronze wire. The wire I received (Alloy C510, a phosphor bronze) was a light rosey-orange color. Hmmm. When I grabbed my rose gold wire to compare I was simply amazed! It was a eureka moment. The difference was only oh-so-slight. They have the same tonal (or lightness) values. The bronze is just a smidgeon more to the orange, but without really good lighting, it's nearly impossible to tell them apart. I had found my fabulous rose gold "faker"!


Ah, silver...

I've had an incredibly hard time trying to replicate this metal. It's white color is nearly unsurpassed. Nickel silver doesn't cut it, not even a little bit. Stainless steel? Ah, nope. But there's one that's pretty close...

Bright Aluminum is exceptionally white. It's also nice and shiny - two things that describe silver. Silver has a slight "warmth" to it while bright aluminum is brilliant white and "cold" (I'm talking colors here folks, not temperature). The bright aluminum is the closest I've been able to find and yet stay inexpensive. But there is one BIG difference between the two, and that's weight. The same size gauge and amount of rings of bright aluminum probably weighs less than half of the same in sterling silver. For those familiar with the heft of a silver bracelet or necklace, there's no mistaking that that bright aluminum one that you just picked up is NOT silver. Unfortunately, that's the trade-off for this fake. Replicate the color and sacrifice the weight. It's either that or go with nickel silver which looks like gunmetal next to the real thing.

Strange that the "colorless" metal would be the hardest to mimic...
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Now, there ARE drawbacks to not using real gold or silver. Of course there are, or we would never use them! The non-precious metals tend to tarnish. Bright aluminum is pretty resistant, but brass and bronze will darken over time. The trick to keeping them nice is frequent cleanings and polishings with a jewelry cloth and to keep in an airtight bag when not in use. A small amount of work for a bigger reward.

I'm not by any means bashing other metals. In fact I used them - nickel silver, yellow brass and copper (especially copper). For instance, yellow brass looks fantastic with peridot or olive colored beads; the color of the beads picks up the greenish cast of the brass in a good way. Yellow brass also looks great with brown or terra cotta colors as it gives a nice "earthy" look. Copper looks great with beads too - my favorite color for copper is a greenish blue turquoise. Matches beautifully, probably due to the fact that copper's own corrosion is the same color. It also goes well with various greens and oranges. And of course I've used these metals all on their own or in mixture (Half Persian 4 in 1 looks bangin' with half of the rings one color and half another color).

So there you have it! Try them out - they are very inexpensive. You can also buy these metals by the pound. And let me tell ya, a pound of wire is A LOT of wire! Try mixing them (tri-color chains are always hot). Most of all, have fun and be creative. You'll have a lot of wire to use up...

The things I need...

I've made a short list of some of the tools I use and whether or not I can live without them. The two at the top of the list are my pliers - most people use two pair of chain nose pliers. I choose to use one pair of chain nose and one pair of bent chain nose. Whichever your preference, these pliers are essential and will become your most-used tools.

Because pliers are so important to chainmaille, I suggest not skimping on the quality of your pliers (never use pliers with toothed jaws - smooth jawed only). The German-made pliers are expensive but are also exceptionally well-made. Also take the time to think of what you'll be working with. As for myself, I chose pliers that come to a fine point because I tend to work with small gauge wires and small ID rings. The fine points help me to get into tight areas. If you feel that you just don't have the funds to invest in pricey pliers, you can pick up a pair at your local arts and craft store - just make sure that you sand the inside of your plier's jaws first to remove any tool marks (these will transfer to your rings and create grooves and gouges). I use a good sturdy emery board with a coarse side and a finer side. Seems to do the trick. Just don't be too agressive or your jaws may no longer touch along their length when the pliers are closed. Be very careful in doing this and you should get good results.

My second essential tool is my jump ring mandrel set for winding my own rings. I own a Pepe Jump Ring Maker that has a 20pc mandrel set ranging from 2.5mm to 12mm in 1/2 mm increments. I also have a 28pc transfer punch set that range in sizes from 3/32" to 1/2" in 1/64's. These allow me to wind in those "in between" sizes that my jump ring mandrels don't have. For example, when coiling rings for Jens Pind in 16 gauge wire, 4mm is too tight and 4.5mm is too loose - the perfect ring is somewhere in between. The transfer punches also fit in the chuck of my winder and are about the same length as my regular mandrels. They also do double duty as, well, transfer punches! You can also use screw mandrels, screwdriver shafts, knitting needles - anything that will allow the coil to slide off easily. I personally don't like using wooden dowels - they are soft enough to be gouged by the wire being wound onto them and therefore lose their true diameter after only a few uses (unless you're willing to continually be buying new dowels).

With my Pepe Jump Ring Maker is a hand winder. It has a chuck much like a drill has. A regular drill does work fast for making coils, but the hand winder allows me to keep the proper tension on the wire with one hand while cranking with the other. My coils are much more uniform.

Also with my jump ring maker is a jig for cutting the coils into individual jump rings. It has a piece that fits over a standard #30 flexshaft handpiece. It will not work with a Dremel. You'll need a Foredom-type flex shaft motor. I have a Grobet Flex Shaft motor. It's OK, but doesn't have the power to cut through a coil made with anything thicker than 20 gauge wire. Next time I'll invest in a Foredom with a higher horsepower motor. This leads to my next can't-do-without tool...

To cut larger gauge jump rings I have an ordinary jeweler's hand saw. I use #2 blades with these (I can get a gross of blades for less than 5 bucks) and they seem to work well with just about any metal I've used it on.

Lastly, a pair of Mag-Eyes or a strong pair of readers and good lighting. I also have a lighted swingarm lamp with a magnifier.

Here's the full list (in order of importance):

2 pair of pliers (chain nose or bent chain nose or a combo of the two)
3.75x reading glasses (or a strength that works for you)
Jump ring mandrels (Pepe Tools Jump Ring Maker and transfer punches)
Jeweler's saw frame and saw blades
Wire cutters (small flush cutters for smaller gauge wire and a heavier duty pair for thick wire)
Rotary tumbler with stainless steel shot (for polishing and removing burrs)
Round nose pliers (for making loops)
Digital calipers (wire gauges aren't always what they're supposed to be)
Jewelry polishing cloth
Chasing hammers (flat head and convex head) for handmade clasps and flattening rings
Steel bench block
Flex shaft motor
Needle file set
Emery boards (for removing burrs on clasps).
Aluminum containers with glass lids for storing jump rings. You can also use small ziplock bags or baby food jars.

Of course you may not need all the above, especially if you purchase pre-made jump rings and/or clasps. However, I've found that I use all the tools listed above, even if not all the time. And if you're the really die-hard "I've gotta make everything" type like myself, then a small butane torch may come in handy if you prefer to make your own silver headpins or dabble in Precious Metal Clay.

I hope some of these suggestions help. Happy weaving!!