Recently my husband has taken an interest in bolo ties or the
equivalent. I say equivalent because he used a pendant I had made for
him, using a nice cord that expanded, to go over his head and pulled
it up to where a tie would normally sit. (He hates wearing a tie now
that he is retired from his job and 35 years of wearing one). Does
anyone have any ideas about other ways to prepare the back of a
silver piece instead of using the manufactured nickel or brass ones
sold at Rio? In other words, I can imagine It could be successful to
use silver tubing in place of the nickel backs but how could I secure
the ties with tips installed? I would appreciate any ideas from
someone who has experience in such matters.
manufactured nickel or brass ones sold at Rio? In other words, I
can imagine It could be successful to use silver tubing in place
of the nickel backs but how could I secure the ties with tips
installed?
Well, Sue, here’s your typical turquoise jewelry way. There is an
art to it, meaning you tweak it to suit your exact purposes. You get
your cord, you get two strips of silver maybe 5mm wide and 22 gauge
or something (which I actually remember, gauges…) You’re going
to make one strip about 2/3 the length of the other. You’re going to
getround nose pliers and roll each end into a circle that’s just
bigger than the cord. You solder the long one on the top and the
shorter one on the bottom, which gives you that “V” thing around the
neck. And you solder the circles closed. If your circles are 4mm
then you need to allow 25mm length just for the circles - Pi*D
=Circumference. Put the cords on first, then the tips, and just
smash the circles gently to adjust the tension. Easy…
I saw a antique one the other day that was ver interesting. they had
taken aflat piece of silver and simply soldered two large heavy jump
rings maybe 18ga at about 60 degree angles from each other the bola
cord passed through the jump rings and tenon was made by bending the
jump rings. Very simple and cheap.
I have made bolo cord backs by forming two pieces from 16 or 14
gauge wire, one in an M shape and one in an inverted wide U shape. I
soldered them in place and just bent them sideways a little bit to
tighten them on the bolo cord.