In the studio ~ making silver crosses

March 05, 2015 1 Comment

I prefer a handcrafted look for the crosses on my Christian necklaces rather than purchasing a ready-made cross. I like the rustic look and the wire "rope" holding the two pieces together (although they are also soldered to make sure they stay put). I begin by cutting a length of heavy gauge sterling silver wire and giving it an organic hammered texture. I then cut the wire into pieces for the two lengths needed for the cross. Using my micro torch, I solder the two pieces together and solder a ring at the top.

Then I drop them in my pickle solution to remove the firescale left over from the solder. Here they are in rough form after they have been pickled. Not very pretty, huh? 

The next step is to straighten any that are crooked and trim them to the correct size. I then file the edges smooth and place them in a solution of liver of sulfur to give them a darker antique finish and to highlight the texture. I clean up the liver of sulfur with steel wool then tumble polish them in my Lortone tumbler for about an hour. This makes them shine but also adds strength. The final step is to add the fine silver wire that simulates a rope holding the crossed pieces together.  

And, voila, they are ready to be added to my scripture necklaces.

I hope you enjoyed this little peek into a part of my jewelry making process. You can find the Christian necklaces by clicking on "Inspirational Collection" on the "Collections" tab from my home page. 

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