Things You'll Need
Soap
Water
Lint-free cloth
Silver metal clay
Wax seal stamp
Wax paper
Small coffee straw
Kiln
Heat resistant tile
Handcrafted metal wax seal jewelry is made from a special metal clay. Metal clay is white and easy to mold or shape. It can be found at many local hobby and crafts stores or on the Internet. A standard silver metal clay finished project, ready for firing, is placed in a kiln for two hours at a temperature of 1650 degrees Fahrenheit . A 1650 degree Fahrenheit kiln is needed to fire 22 karat gold for 10 minutes. Various brands of metal clay, with differing metal qualities, may require firings as low as 1110 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 1
Place a piece of wax paper over your work area.
Video of the Day
Step 2
Wash your hands thoroughly, using soap and water. Dry with a lint-free cloth.
Step 3
Roll a one-inch ball of silver clay. Place the ball on the wax paper. Gently press the ball into a circle, approximately 3/8-inch thick.
Step 4
Center the wax stamp over the silver metal clay. Press the wax stamp into the clay a quarter of an inch. Remove the wax stamp.
Step 5
Create a small hole in the top of the wax stamp. Pick up the small coffee straw and center it above the wax seal impression. Press the end of the straw through the clay. Turn back and forth to cut through the clay. Remove the straw. Allow the clay to lay flat for 24 hours to dry.
Step 6
Place the dried pendant on a heat resistant tile. Place the tile in the bottom of the kiln.
Step 7
Set the kiln to 1650 degrees Fahrenheit. Set the timer to heat for two hours.
Step 8
Allow the kiln to cool completely. Remove the pendant from the kiln.
Tip
Metal clay has a 30 percent shrinkage. This is because the water and binder used to hold the metal clay together fires off in the kiln. The integrity of the wax seal will stay intact during the shrinking process.
Warning
Do not over heat the metal clay. Overheating will cause the metal to melt.