How to Make A Simple Head Pin for Beading

Head pins are a critical finding when making beaded and other jewelry. When you make them yourself you add value to your completed jewelry project and you will save both money and time.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• wire
• wire cutters
• round nose pliers
• needle nose
• needle file or cup burr
• plastic mallet (optional)
• nylon jawed pliers (optional)

1. Clean your wire and remove any tarnish.

2. 
   Use your round nose pliers.

   Cut your wire 2 to 5 inches, depending on the length of the head pin you will need. File both ends smooth using a needle file or cup burr. Place your round nose pliers at one end of the wire.

3. 
   Make a small loop.

   Use your round nose pliers to make a small "u" shaped loop at the end of your wire.

4. 

   You now have a piece of wire with a "u" at the end.

5. 
   Use needle nose pliers.

   Squeeze the "u" shaped loop until both sides of the "u" touch using your needle nose pliers.

6. 
   Pinch.

   The head pin is almost ready to use.

7. 

   Straighten the wire with nylon pliers, gentle hammering the wire with a raw hide or plastic mallet or by pulling the wire with your fingers. Feed your chosen bead onto the head pin until it slips over the doubled end (or sits flush against the squashed ends). You are now ready to use your hand made head pin in your beading or jewelry project.

Tips & Warnings

• Inexpensive round nose pliers, needle nose pliers, wire cutters and plastic hammers can be found in many sizes at most hardware stores. Different size tools work better with different size wire.
• Any size or type of metal wire can be used to create head pins, including gold, sterling silver, nickel silver, brass, copper, gold filled, steel, niobium and craft wire. Beads with larger holes usually require smaller gauge metal. Beads with small holes require larger gauge metals. For example, many glass beads work best with head pins made of 16 or 18 gauge wire. Many pearls work best with 24 or 22 gauge wire. Commercial sterling head pins are usually made with wire between 21 and 25 gauges thick.
• Wear goggles to protect your eyes when cutting wire.
• Be sure to take your time when filing the metal smooth. Jagged edges are not comfortable or safe to wear.

Resources

• GeltDesigns