Every time I teach I learn something new from my students. Some ladies that knit that also take my metals classes turned me onto using knitting needles for making jump rings. They are very carefully calibrated.
http://www.fibergypsy.com/common/needles.shtml
You can get an entire set of 36 in bamboo onAmazon for about 7 bucks.
As I work mostly in gold and platinum using a disc to cut jump rings can be wasteful. All that metal flying off into space. As my arthritis gets worse with age I’m afraid I’m gonna have to have an apprentice do the link cutting for me.
I learned from the amazing chain maker Seng Au to put my saw blade in my saw frame with the teeth pointing up when sawing jump rings. As you saw on the upstroke the pressure keeps the coil from pulling down and separating. It seem so counter intuitive to saw upwards but once I got the hang of it it make cutting links much less of a struggle.
I love making chains when I am in the right mood. It’s almost like meditation for me.
Have fun and keep making jewelry
-Jo Haemer
www.timothywgreen.com
4 Likes
Very cool idea. I must try it. Thank you!
Denny Diamond
Another idea is to take a flush cutter and cut 1/3 to 1/2 way through the jump ring. Your thumb nail can separate it from the coil as it breaks clean, touch it up and solder. Works fine for a quick jump ring and some of the chain maille folks are using this method. Zero loss of metal and once you get the hang they are near perfect. I have serveral different size coils just waiting until I need a single jump ring this way.
I’d love to see a video of this method.
Jean