[Source] Flat wire

Greetings o’ wise ones, I am desperately seeking a source for flat
wire (sometimes called rectangle wire), in Sterling, that has been
"rolled" on the edges to give it a softer rectangle shape. I have
been buying thousands of $$ of this stuff for my stamping classes
from Thunderbird Supply and they are on back order. I need a bunch
for my class at The Bead and Button Show next week. I have been
caught in the whole “back order” swirl. I have tried Indian Jewelry
Supply (their supplier doesn’t make it anymore), Rio doesn’t carry
it (only rectangle, not rolled), Halstead doesn’t have it,
Metalliferous doesn’t have it.

Any more suggestions???
thanks soooooo much,
Lisa Niven Kelly

Hi Lisa,

You might try running some wire through the rolling mill.

If you do, start with a wire ga that’s the width you need. Running a
round wire through a rolling mill will flatten it & lengthen it, but
not widen it.

Dave

Lisa, You can fabricate the same rect. wire with rolled edge by
milling round wire in a rolling mill. (that is, if I’m understanding
you correctly) Good luck!

Kay Taylor

I don’t know how long your classes are nor am I familiar with this
type of wire. However, could you not teach your students to file the
edges to the desired shape if all that is wanted is a softer edge?

Marilyn Smith

Lisa, The David H. Fell Company
http://www.dhfco.com/pages/silver.html has provided rolled
rectangular wire in gold for me in the past. They probably have it
in silver also.

Try any of the actual refiner/producers, not just a dealer. None of
the companies you mentioned are actual producers. Try instead,
Hoover and Strong, or David H. Fell, or Hauser and Miller, Ross
metals, United Precious Metals, or if you need enough of it, Handy
and Harmon. And those are just the first few that come to mind.
there are more. These people could, if they don’t already have it in
stock, produce it. They’re not waiting for someone else to deliver
it to them, so they can ship it to you. If they don’t have it in
stock, there might still be a time delay for production, but several
of these companies will bend over backwards to help you if you need.
David Fell, in particular, has always seemed especially tuned to the
needs of craftspeople, but so are Hauser and Miller, United, and
Hoover and Strong…

good luck
Peter

Frei & Borel, now Otto Frei, will roll square wire into rectangular
in whatever size you want, judging by my experience. Since it has
been flattened by rolling, it should be the edge you want, I think.
Good luck!

–Noel Yovovich