If you have orphan spoons in your silverware, turn them into jewelry such as bracelets made of silver-plated or sterling silver spoons. Begin with a basic spoon bracelet, and then learn to create a bracelet made of two spoons and a bracelet embellished with beads or other pretty things.
Types of Spoons
Both silver-plated and sterling silver spoons can be used to create spoon jewelry. Silver-plated is the most inexpensive of the two, but its thin coating of silver on top is easily scratched and damaged.
Video of the Day
Video of the Day
Sterling silver consists of 925 parts silver to 75 parts alloys, making this a higher quality than silver-plate, and if cared for properly, sterling may last a lifetime or longer. Sterling silver spoons produced after the 1850s have the imprint "Sterling."
Stainless steel is not ideal for spoon jewelry because it is more difficult to bend and requires more preparation, as well as more tools in addition to jewelry tools.
How to Make a Basic Spoon Bracelet
Things You'll Need
1 silver-plated or sterling silver spoon
Goggles
Bench vise
Jeweler's hand saw
File
Sand paper
Soft-ended mallet
Bracelet mandrel
Step 1
Put on goggles to protect your eyes.
Step 2
Place the spoon securely into the bench vise with the bowl extending out. Tighten the vise.
Step 3
With the spoon sitting securely in the vise, cut off the spoon bowl using the jeweler's saw.
Warning
Do not touch metal that has just been sawed since it can be extremely hot.
Step 4
File the end of the spoon with a metal file to smooth the burrs. Use sandpaper to smooth any remaining rough edges. Remove the spoon from the vise.
Tip
Rather than discarding the spoon bowl, save it for creating other types of jewelry such as spoon pendants.
Step 5
Place the spoon on the bracelet mandrel. Using the soft-ended mallet, shape the spoon into a bracelet.
Tip
If you own a spoon-bending tool, you can use that instead of the mallet and mandrel to bend the bracelet.
How to Make a Double Spoon Bracelet with Beads
When you have mastered bending and sawing the basic spoon bracelet, you can begin to make more intricate jewelry. This version uses two spoons and adds beads for embellishment.
Things You'll Need
2 silver-plated or sterling silver spoons
Goggles
Bench vise
Jeweler's hand saw
File
Sand paper
Soft-ended mallet
Bracelet mandrel
Soldering set-up
Power drill
Wooden block for drilling
3 jump rings
Wire-linked beads, jewelry chain, or other embellishment (optional)
Clasp
Step 1
Repeat steps 1-5 of the Basic Spoon Bracelet instructions, creating two separate spoon pieces that are each about one inch shorter than the spoon handle you cut for the basic spoon bracelet.
Step 2
Apply soldering flux to the bowl end of the spoon and one jump ring. Apply a small drop of solder to the spoon; then meld the jump ring to the spoon.
Step 3
Place the the opposite end of the spoon onto a wooden block. This will be the end that you did not cut off. Drill a small hole into the center of the handle.
Warning
Drill into a wooden block, otherwise you could damage the work surface.
Step 4
Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the second spoon piece.
Step 5
Slip one jump ring through the drilled ends of each spoon to connect them.
Tip
If you'd like to add beads or other adornments, add those here between the two drilled ends. You can add beads that have been connected by a wire or simply add a decorative jewelry chain.
Step 6
Add a clasp to one of the soldered jump rings. Attach the clasp to the opposite soldered jump ring to close the bracelet.