Sharks' teeth

I have a customer who has three sharks teeth she wants me to set
into a pair of earrings and a pendant in 14k gold. She doesn’t
want the trendy type of wire wrapping. The profile of the teeth
is concave and curved like a big smile so bezel setting is out of
the question. She doesn’t want me to risk drilling them either,
since she hooked the shark and the teeth are sentimental value.
Does anyone out there have a solution I havn’t thought of?
Thanks! Wendy Newman

I’d wax a cap for them, personally. You could do it with green
sheet wax (use some wax lubricant on the teeth).

Rick
Richard D. Hamilton

Fabricated 14k, 18k, and platinum Jewelry
wax carving, modelmaking, jewelry photography

http://www.rick-hamilton.com
@rick_hamilton

Wendy, what about doing a wire wrap and and creating a spirel
with the ends of the wire. I wanted a more decorative desighn
to use with sharks teeth other than the traditanal wrap, So I
took a closed and soldered jump ring, carfuly twisted the wire
together to attach it to the jump ring, then used the rest of
the wire to create a nice wrap around the tooth. Then I took
the wires that were left over and twisted sthem together and
wound them in a spiral that rests in the middle of the tooth.

Isaac

Hi,

You can wirewrap the tooth and leave a longish piece to be
curled and soldered as a bail. Make a decorative cap with a
hole in the top for the wire to fit through. A small flap of
thin metal can be folded into the convexity of the tooth.

Alternately you can make a metal cap, complete with bail, epoxy
the tooth in place, and then fold the piece into the convexity
to cover the epoxy. Be sure to leave undercuts in the metal for
the epoxy to adhere to and you might rough up the tooth.

Good Luck,

Skip

                                  Skip Meister
                                NRA Endowment and
                                   Instructor
                                @Skip_Meister
                                06/10/9714:29:57

Wendy,

I’m not sure that I understand the shape of the teeth, but if
there is an area which has a wider cross section than that the
cross section on either side, I have a suggestion that I will try
to explain. You might want to try in paper or non-precious metal
first.

Take two long rectangles of metal (about 2.5 times the length of
the tooth and a 1/4" to 1/2" wider the widest part of the
tooth)and cut a hole at the midpoint of each to match the cross
section of the tooth at each side of the widest point, so that if
you slip one over each end of the tooth as far as they will go,
there will be some space between the two sheets of metal. Curve
the two sheets upward to form a circle (or oval or teardrop) and
trim them so that all four ends meet. Protect the tooth from
heat and solder the ends together, or drill through the two ends
on each side and join with a jump ring. The end result will be
the tooth suspended half inside the circle and half sticking out
of the bottom.

If their is not enough room to put metal around the tooth on
both sides of the widest point, only cut a hole through one
piece, using that piece on the bottom, and use the solid metal
above the end of the tooth to prevent it from moving.

Hope this all makes some sense, and helps. Good Luck.

Sharon Ziemek

wendy,

try a cap for the earrings and look thru the tripps catelog for
a heart shaped setting for the pendent.

david

I have a customer who has three 
sharks teeth she wants me to set
into a pair of earrings and a pendant in 14k gold.  She doesn't
want the trendy type of wire wrapping.  The profile of the teeth
is concave and curved like a big smile so bezel setting is out of
the question.  She doesn't want me to risk drilling them either,
since she hooked the shark and the teeth are sentimental value.
Does anyone out there have a solution I havn't thought of?
Thanks! Wendy Newman

Build little shadow boxs with groves to hold a sliding
glass cover that can be pegged or otherwise latched. Solder
the correct findings on, insert the tooth, peg it shut and
the undrilled and unbezeled tooth is displayed.The fit could
be tight so that the tooth could not move or loose so it
could rattle around.

Marilyn Smith

HI Wendy,

Depending upon the size of the teeth, I would use a piece of sheet wax and
make a “cup” for each tooth. I would also cut out the back so that any
convex part would have a place to go. I have done this with fossils that
were odd shaped and it turned out well. Depending upon the shape I also
incorporated a prong or three to help hold it in. It worked out nicely.
also since you are using gold, it can be pretty tihin sheet wax since it
will cast well and keep down the weight and the costs.

Stella Samson