The first session in the Beginning Silversmithing class was last night and what fun it was! It is always very cool for me to see how creativity emerges when a person is given a few simple tools, and these girls were great! The class began with a couple of cold projects that introduce the tools used in silversmithing. Some silversmithing terms like “annealing” and “work-hardening” were also discussed. And the best part was plunging right in and playing with the metal. And look at what these women made the very first night!
Bravo ladies!
We finished up the evening by lighting the torch and playing with fire. The girls each got a chance to heat some silver to a “reticulated” state, one of my favorite techniques for creating texture.
- Tools used today
- ball peen hammer
- forging hammer
- pliers (round-nose, flat-nose, chain-nose)
- side cutters
- shears
- steel anvil
- files
- polishing machine
- For reticulation and forging:
- torch
- Materials:
- 1mm round Sterling Silver wire
- 26 Gauge Sterling Silver sheet
- Findings: Ear wire
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