Hi Rob-
Wow, 70 plus years, that’s wonderful! I just found this post so a belated Happy Birthday! How generous of you to share your knowledge. I would be honored to receive any of your knowledge and will definitely look for your other posts and techniques. You can never have too much information. Especially from someone as knowledgeable and experienced as yourself!
I would like to know if you can help with a similar issue. I have been working with pinton wire lately for making rivets and posts for hinged earrings. I love it for making findings and ear wires too! I am running low and need to make more. As the batch I had was purchased from my local studio, but they’re not sure what the hardness is. These were the remaining supplies needed for one of the technique classes.
I have a lot of sterling wire already so I would like to make my own. Unfortunately, since I’m not sure of the hardness, I’m not sure what size to start with. It may have been a 5-6 draw pinton, but it may have been 3 draw, I don’t really know. It is extra hard, but still pliant to hammer rivets easy enough and bend into curved shapes using some additional pressure against the added tension.
To make a specific size, how many draws do you generally need or does it vary by gauge or wire diameter? I need to make 18 and 20 gauge finished size pinton. You said you started with 18 for 20 gauge, but what size to start with for 18 gauge final size - would I start with 16ga or a different size? Is it always a two gauge difference, vary by thickness, or a specific ratio? I would also like to make 21 gauge but I’m sure I could just use 18 and draw down slightly more than 20ga without much difference.
Any help or input is greatly appreciated! Thank you very much!!
Denise Romano