How to Make a Men's Tie Chain

Keep your tie in place by making your own tie chain.

If you have a little skill and some basic jewelry making tools, it's fairly simple to make a number of stylish jewelry accessories. One simple project is making a men's tie chain. The basic construction is a flat piece of metal -- often silver or gold -- with an open "eye-hole" that rests on one of the buttons on the man's shirt, connected to a chain that wraps around the front of the tie.

Things You'll Need

• Metal chain
• Needle nose pliers
• Thin 3-inch metal bar
• Tweezers
• Firebrick
• Small torch
• 1/2-inch iron cylinder
• Soldering iron
• Baking soda
• Non-abrasive pad

Instructions

1. Cut the metal chain, made of silver, gold or whatever metal you desire, to about 7 to 8 inches in length using your needle nose pliers.

2. Hold your metal bar with the tweezers and use the small torch to soften the metal. Work over a firebrick to prevent fires while using the torch. Move your torch slowly back and forth over the bar to heat the entire bar evenly. Dip the entire bar in a container of water to "anneal" it.

3. Warm the metal again and place the very middle of the metal bar over the iron cylinder. Press down to create a U-shaped section that rises above the top portion of the bar. Create a "U" that will fit comfortably over the size of a shirt button.

4. Attach your chain to either end of the metal bar using a soldering iron.

5. Polish the metal using a technique particular to that type of metal. This can often include a simple non-abrasive pad and baking soda.

References

• Metal Jewelry Made Easy: A Crafter's Guide to Fabricating Necklaces
• Food Fun and Facts: How to Polish Metal, Wood, and Jewelry