Things You'll Need:
- 16 gauge fine silver round wire
- 16 gram package metal clay (such as PMC3 or Art Clay Silver 650)
-
Step 1
Grease your hands and work surface. There are a number of products on the market that can be used to prevent metal clay from sticking to your hands and work area. Products designed especially for metal clay are: CoolSlip, SlikBalm and Claymate Hand Cream. Other commonly available products include: olive oil, Badger Balm, Burt's Bees Hand Salve.
-
Step 2
Roll clay.Roll out your metal clay so that is an even thickness of about 2 to 3 playing cards thick.
-
Step 3
Apply texture. Although there are many commercial texture tools available (including those made by Fiskars, Shade-Tex and Makin's) many household items can be used to make texture, including leaves, pods and tree bark from your garden.
-
Step 4
Cut the clay into two pieces.Cut the clay into two identical pieces using a craft knife, cookie cutter or commercial tool (such as Klay Kutters). For this project we used a leaf shape. Use water and a paint brush (as needed) to smooth the edges after cutting to be sure they are not jagged.
-
Step 5
Cut 2-1/2 inches length of 16 gauge fine silver wire. File one end with a needle file, cup burr or wire rounder until the wire is smooth. This wire will be used to form the hook.
-
Step 6
Hammer wire flat.Hammer the other of the wire slightly flat. Place the wire down on the clay. Note that you are hammering the wire to take advantage of the fact that the clay will shrink about 10% when fired. The clay will “grab” the hammered wire and hold it more securely in place than if the wire were not hammered.
-
Step 7
Place one piece of clay on top of the other piece of clay so that the wire is sandwiched between the two pieces of metal clay.
Press this second piece of clay firmly over the wire. Seal the clay with water and a paint brush to activate the binder in the clay. Touch up the shape as you work. -
Step 8
Dry the clasp using a hair dryer, coffee mug warmer or other hot plate.
Once the piece is bone dry, file using a pink (280/320 grit) nail file typically found in the drug store. File until the clay is smooth and finished. -
Step 9
Fire the clasp according to the manufacturer's instructions with the wire flat using a kiln, stove top or a torch according to the metal clay manufacturer’s instructions. Note that metal clay can be fired with a simple kitchen torch like one used to make crème brulee.
-
Step 10
After firing, file as needed to smooth out any burrs on clasp, if any.
Once filed, create a small attractive loop at the end and form the wire into a hook. -
Step 11
The piece will look white and unattractive after being fired. The clasp will also be fully annealed, soft and malleable. This is normal. Use a brass brush or jewelry, rock or other rotary tumbler (like the Lortone) to burnish the piece until both work hardened and polished.
-
Step 12
Add your finding to finish your hand made jewelry.
