How to Create Gold-Filled Hand-Stamped Jewelry

Gold-Filled Discs

Gold-filled jewelry is made by sandwiching a sheet of gold between two sheets of silver or a gold alloy and pressure bonding them together into a single sheet of metal. The gold-filled sheet of metal has shapes cut out of it called metal blanks. Gold-filled metal blanks are used to make ID tags, bracelet charms and flat metal pendants. Create your own personalized gold-filled jewelry by hand stamping letters and shapes onto a flat gold-filled metal blank with metal stamps.

Things You'll Need

• Pen
• Paper
• Black ink pad
• Metal jewelry stamps
• Masking tape
• Metal stamping block
• Hammer
• Black permanent marker
• Jewelry polish pad
• Jump ring
• Round-nosed pliers
• Chain-nosed pliers

Instructions

1. Trace an outline of the gold-filled blank onto a piece of paper with a pen to make a gold-filled blank design template. Rub the design or lettered end of a metal stamp onto the ink pad, and then stamp it on the paper as you would a rubber stamp to create your design. Stamp your favorite phrases or a series of themed words onto the blank template, and then use different stamps with shapes or designs on them, such as hearts or ivy leaves, to line the edges of the template and create intricate patterns around the words.

2. Tape the gold-filled metal blank onto your metal stamping block. Use your design template as a guide, and pick up the first metal stamp. Hold the stamp in position, straight up and down or perpendicular over the blank. Use the thumb notch as a guide to ensure that the stamp is facing the correct direction -- if you hold it with your thumb on the notch, it is in the correct position.

3. Drive the metal stamp into the gold-filled metal blank by hitting it once, firmly, with a hammer.

4. Drive the metal stamps into the gold-filled metal blank, one after the other, until you have finished making your design.

5. Color in the stamped design with a black permanent marker, filling in all the stamped areas with the marker. Wait for the ink to dry.

6. Remove any ink on the surface of the gold-filled metal with a jewelry polishing pad. The ink will remain in the embossed stamps that you made, which makes the design stand out.

7. Place a jump ring on the hand-stamped gold-filled metal blank. A jump ring is a metal ring with a slit cut in it that is used as a connector for pendants. Hold the jump ring by placing round-nosed pliers on the right end of the jump ring and chain-nosed pliers on the left end of the ring. Use the pliers to bend the right end up and the left end down to open the jump ring. Slide the open jump ring through the hole at the top of the gold-filled hand-stamped metal blank. Slide the jump ring onto a necklace, and then close the jump ring by bending the right end down and the left end up with the pliers.

Tips & Warnings

• You can purchase metal stamps at your local craft store or hobby shop.

• Exercise caution when using the oxidizing solution, it can cause burns to the skin. Wear gloves and safety goggles when possible.

• Be careful when polishing your pendant, the jewelry item will heat up quickly from the friction and can cause your fingers to get burned. Take a few seconds to let the jewelry item cool off before continuing polishing.

References

• Rings Things: Techniques for Creating a Stamped Metal Charm
• Fusion Beads: Techniques: Metal Stamping
• Fusion Beads: Techniques: Antiquing Silver