Hi community,
This has been a question I’ve had much trouble researching. Often the topics that come up are related to making actual rivets in the jewelry as opposed to a specific texture. Please look at the attached photo for reference. When I try to do this with a riveting hammer the texture turns out quite messy and just looks like I took a chasing hammer and pounded it on the steel bench block.
Thank you in advance!!!
Are you doing the texturing after the bracelet is formed? If you are, try doing the texture before you form the bracelet while the stock is flat. You can use a sharpie to layout evenly spaced marks, if that is what you want, and then, once the stock is the right length, cut it off and form the bracelet. Look at the shape of the texture and grind, sand and polish your hammer to be a positive of that shape. You might even consider making a large stamp in the desired shape and then stamp each location with the stamp. When I look at the picture, I can imagine using the round edge of a piece steel rod as a stamp…Rob
I’m so glad to hear your advice. I will be applying this next time. Thank you very much
I gave you several ideas. That is often the case. There is usually not just one right way, only your way. The fun is in figuring that out…Rob
To get the texture you want use a hammer face that most closely resembles the shape of the indentation you want. Not a riveting hammer. The face is too steeply domed.
You will want to use the domed face of a good high quality and highly polished planishing hammer that has a gently curved surface. Use one with some weight to it. Buy a good one and baby it. I keep my best planishing hammers covered with gym socks. What ever you do, do not hit any steel with If you do you’ll have to refinish and polish it.
Make your bangle smaller than needed. Put it on a bracelet mandrel and hammer and hammer away.
I’d recommend that you do a number of practice runs on heavy copper wire. It takes plenty of practice to aim your hammer correctly. Feel free to mess up a bunch of copper wire before you start on silver or gold. Making many mistakes is important. Trust me on this. In my career I have f****d up most everything there is. That’s what makes me an expert.
Have fun and make lots of jewelry. And remember that every mistake you make gets you that much closer to being a good jeweler.
Thank you for that. I guess I just went with what certain hammers and said “ok this is what it will do” and tried to go with that… Okay thanks so much. Your comment made me think of this quote!
