TYPES OF METAL WIRE Base Metal
Base metal refers is a metal other than a precious metal. They are usually
alloys of non-precious metals and are usually made of tin, copper, bronze or
nickel.Some wires can be coated or
plated with precious metals like silver or gold.
Wire
can also have a permanent color coating.Usually available in gauges from 16 to 30.
Brass
Brass
is usually referred to an unplated, base or raw metal and has different
harnesses and colors which are achieved by adjusting the copper and zinc alloy
ratios that make up brass.The colors
tend to range from orange to brownish golden yellows.When brass oxidizes it darkens to a rich
patina.
Copper
Copper is a base metal and is an
orangish-brown base metal that is inexpensive, great to practice with and
can be polished for a bright look as well as oxidized to a greenish or blackish
patina.
Beading Wire
There a great range of beading wires.They are made of multiple strands of stainless steel covered with clear
or colored nylon, which makes them strong and durable and is the material of
choice for most bead-stringing needs.
Generally
beading wire creates an attractive drape of the jewelry piece, doesn't kink,
and is available in many diameters from .010" (very fine) to .024"
(heavy).
Beading
wire is firm enough that it can be used without a needle.
Crimp
beads are used to securely fasten it to a clasp.
Memory Wire
Memory wire is a hard, permanently coiled steel wire that retains its coiled shape.
It is so hard that it is best cut with specific cutters called Memory Wire
Cutters.
It
comes in various diameters appropriate for necklaces, bracelets and rings.
Gold Filled
Gold-filled wire is made by fusing a layer of 12k to 14kt gold to a base
metal—usually brass – that results in a permanent bond and makes it
resistant to tarnishing. The gold layer on gold-filled products is
thicker and will wear better than gold-plated products. Although gold-filled
wire is generally considered hypoallergenic, some people who are especially
sensitive to metals may still have allergic reactions to it.
Gold Plate - Gold plate
is achieved with a thin electroplating of gold over a brass base metal.
Fine Silver
Fine silver wire is 99.9% silver and because it has a higher silver content
than sterling, it is much softer. Fine silver will not oxidize and turn black
when heated.
Sterling Silver
Silver is considered a precious metal
and when combined with copper in a 92.5% / 7.5% ratio, it is considered
sterling. Adding copper to silver makes the silver harder and easier to work
with. Sterling silver wire will tarnish over time but can be polished easily.This is the metal of choice for
most when wire working.
Vermeil
Is
sterling silver that has a gold coating of at least 10K gold.
SHAPES Round wire is circular in diameter.
Half-round wire is flat on one side and
domed on the other. The cross section looks like a half circle.
Square wire has four equal flat
sides and the cross section looks like a square.
Triangular wire has three equal flat sides and the cross section
looks like a triangle.
HARDNESS OF WIRE
The
hardness is important to note as the harder the wire, the harder to bend. Hard
Extremely
hard and rigid. Will not bend easily & often will snap and break when bent.
Not recommended for jewelry making. Dead Soft
Dead
soft wire is the desired wire in jewelry making it is usually used to describe sterling silver and gold filled wire.It is most often used when a design calls for
making several bends and loops It has been annealed by heat to make it soft and
malleable. It is flexible to work with and can also be hardened by simply
working with it. The more you work with your wire, the harder it will become. Wire
becomes harder as it is manipulated, so using dead-soft wire will enable you to
manipulate it longer before it becomes too brittle to work with.If you need it firmer then tapping the wire
with a rawhide hammer, bending it or simply working with it using your hand
tools such as pliers will harden it.
Half Hard
This
term is usually used with sterling silver and gold filled wire. Half-hard wire has been
hardened but is still very malleable it is between hard and dead soft. It is
stronger than dead soft, but can become hard when working with it very quickly.
As wire becomes hard, it can snap and break easily. Because it has been
hardened, half-hard wire will maintain a loop, bend or shape under some stress.
Half-hard wire is commonly used when making wire-wrapped jewelry or simple
loops.
SIZES
Wire
is available in a variety of thicknesses. The thickness or size of wire is
referred to as the gauge of the wire. It is important to know what thickness is
appropriate to use. In general, the smaller the number gauge, the thicker the
wire.
Useful
to make headpins or eye pins for beads with large holes, hook style clasps
& thick heavy duty jump rings, great sizes to add texture with a chasing
hammer and bench block. 18 gauge = 1mm diameter & 20 gauge = 0.8mm diameter
Used
for more delicate headpins or eye pins for beads with average sized holes &
thinner jump rings, split rings & earring wires 22 gauge = 0.65mm diameter
Great
for substantial wire wrapping & fits most beads. This seems to be the
perfect gauge to work with many gemstone beads.
24 gauge = 0.5mm diameter
Commonly
used for head pins and wire wrapping beads with smaller holes, particularly
some freshwater pearl beads or gemstone beads. 26 gauge = 0.4mm diameter & 28 gauge = 0.32mm diameter
Used
to work with small beads as well as knitting and crochet work.
