Bounty of Forming Tools

I was recently given an absolute bounty of tools – forming,
forging and plannishing hammers, stakes, ring, bracelet and bezel
mandrels, dapping dies and blocks, broken flex shafts (for
parts), assorted little things, an annealing pan…

Here’s the question…Naturally you make things with the tools
you have, and since I haven’t had these tools up til now, I
haven’t been making these things. So the question…what would
be some useful exercises to do to get to know these new tools?

The obvious ones are to make saucer beads, form bracelets, form
something. I’d be interested to hear project suggestions. What
are your favorite things to do with these types of tools?

Elaine in Chicago

Dear Elaine,

You need to take a silvermithing class. There are lots of
options out there, but you could also include a trip to Ireland.

Brian Clarke,
Silversmithing Workshops,
@ybc
http://homepage.tinet.ie/~ybc