Crimp Bead Cover Instructions
Crimp beads are a fast and secure way to finish the ends of projects strung on flexible beading wire, but some beaders feel that the tiny crushed beads look unprofessional. One way to overcome this problem with crimp beads is to use crimp bead covers. These conceal the crushed crimp beads on your project and, unless examined closely, appear to be merely another bead in your design.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Straight pins (optional)
- Large size crimping pliers
- Chain nose pliers (optional)
- Jewelry with crimp beads
- Tool Magic or duct tape (optional)
Instructions
-
-
1
Choose crimp bead covers that coordinate with your design. Crimp bead covers are commonly available in gold and silver plating. If your design includes expensive beads and you intend to use a sterling silver or gold-filled clasp, you should consider buying sterling crimp covers or gold-filled ones to match. Crimp covers are also available in brass, copper and gunmetal finishes.
Another consideration is size. Crimp beads covers are commonly available in 3mm and 4mm sizes. Some outlets carry them in 5mm sizes, as well. Any size will be functional on any design, so the choice of size is really an aesthetic consideration. If small, delicate beads will suit your design, choose 3mm crimp covers. If larger beads will look better on your piece, choose 4mm or 5mm crimp covers. Remember that the finished crimp cover will resemble a round metal bead.
-
2
Separate the crimp bead covers to obtain a single one. Crimp bead covers have the shape of a slightly elongated circle with a wide gap at one point. These gaps often catch around each other while the bead covers are in storage. Prying them apart by force can distort the metal and ruin the bead.
Pick up a tangle of two or more crimp bead covers and drop them from a height of a few inches to make them separate. Another method is to gently nudge them apart with straight pins.
-
-
3
Place a crimp bead cover over the crimp bead in the jewelry design. Position your large sized crimping pliers over the crimp bead cover. Use the outermost slot in the crimping pliers. This is the slot designed to squeeze beads into a circular shape. Position the crimp bead cover so that the gap faces toward the handles of the crimping pliers. Slowly and gently compress the pliers to squeeze the crimp bead cover closed.
This will cause the gap in the crimp bead cover to vanish. You will be left with a small, round bead; only on close inspection will anyone be able to tell that it didn't start off as a regular bead.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Crimp bead covers can also be used if you don't have crimp beads to hide. In this case they are a purely decorative element. They are different from other beads because they can be added to your design after it has been completely finished. Crimp covers are particularly useful for taking up the slack in finished necklaces and bracelets that have a bit too much bare beading wire showing.
If you know you are going to cover your crimps, it doesn't matter what color of crimps you use. A design that calls for gold won't suffer from having silver crimps if you cover them with gold crimp bead covers in the end.
If the edges of the closed crimp bead cover don't meet perfectly, you can use chain nose pliers to squeeze them so that they line up against one another. Be gentle so that you don't distort the overall shape of the crimp bead cover.
If you don't have large sized crimping pliers, you can use chain nosed pliers to squeeze crimp covers closed. This won't produce as perfect a circular bead and may mar the surface of the crimp cover. Coating the jaws of the pliers with Tool Magic or duct tape can help reduce scratching.
