More Bronze Wire for Jewelry Making

With the craziness in the metals markets of late, we jewelry crafters have really been scrambling for affordable metals. The options are fairly limited. There's copper and brass. Nickel silver is off many designers' lists because of the nasty dermatitis it can cause. Annealed steel is doable, but very prone to rusting (although I do have an update on that coming soon). Stainless steel is stiff and hard to work with, and aluminum wire is awfully "industrial," except when colored . . . in which case it tends to scratch and chip from pliers.

But here's another option: bronze.

Turquoise Paisley Wrap Earrings

Until recently bronze wire was pretty hard to find. At least, I found it so. Then while reviewing a draft of my upcoming book (More Teach Yourself Visually Jewelry Making), my tech editor Marti pointed out that bronze wire has become much easier to procure. (This is probably because of the popularity of bronze clay, and the fact that you can fuse bronze wire with your bronze clay.)

So, what exactly is bronze? According to Wikipedia "Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive." The tin seems to be what sets true bronze apart from bronze-like metals, such as red brass -- which is also called "jeweler's bronze" (not bronze).

Phosphor bronze wire from Wickwire Jewelry

Tip: When looking for true bronze, look for wire labeled "phosphor bronze" or "tin bronze." Avoid "bronze" that contains zinc (unless you're looking for brass).

I purchased my first true bronze wire recently from Wickwire Jewelry. Read more about it in the product description here.

What impresses me the most about this bronze wire is its beautiful color: a soft, pinkish gold. Definitely not brown like copper or yellow like brass. I love it so much, in fact, that it's playing a star role in my next project book in the Visual series.

Volcanic Hoops

Keep in mind that bronze will oxidize naturally over time. Its patina has a gorgeous antiqued look, but if you want to maintain the raw bronze color, you'll need to polish it from time to time (like you would with silver).

Wickwire currently stocks dead soft, true bronze wire in a super wide range of gauges -- 14, 16, 18, 20, 24 and 26 gauge. Here are some other vendors currently carrying bronze wire:

Metal Clay Supply -- 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22 gauge -- dead soft

Cool Tools -- 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 gauge -- dead soft

The Ring Lord -- 14, 16, 18, 19, 22, 20, 21, 24, 26 -- some dead soft, some half hard, some 3/4 hard, and some hard

Are you using true bronze wire in any projects? How do you like it?

Comments

[kashmira]

Hi.I have been trying to figure out what kind of wire to use to make findigns...like hoops and earwires.
The "craft wire" I found in stores seem too soft for this.
What would you recommend? I am still a newbie, and don't want to get into precious metals just yet. This bronze option looks good. Would love if you can guide me and tell me what projects each gauge and hardness is good for.

Thanks a LOT!
Really looking forward to your second book. The first one was extremely helpful!

[beadjewelry]

Hi Kashmira! Thank you so much for picking up my first book! :)

The bronze wire that's marked "dead soft" is good for making wraps, because it's relatively soft. When you make a hoop (like I did with the earrings), you can lightly hammer them using a chasing hammer and bench block to stiffen them.

Another option is to use "half-hard" temper wire, which is already pretty stiff. It's a little harder to bend and wrap with, but it's good especially for findings that need to be stronger.

Personally, I use dead soft most of the time and just work harden it -- by bending and/or hammering - as needed.

As for gauges, check our the chart on page 122 of Teach Yourself Visually Jewelry Making & Beading, and see if that helps. If you still have questions, feel free to come back and let me know. :)

Chris