Blogging for jewelers and metalsmiths made easy! (and for those interested in jewelry and gemstones)

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Ultimate Spiculum Hammer

I am working on a book with Betty Helen Longhi, Shellforming Techniques for Jewelers and Metalsmiths.  The term shellforming describes a collection of techniques -mostly based on synclasting and anticlasting— through which sheets of metal are given complex, often sinuous form, to make objects of beauty and strength.  The book will be edited by jeweler/author/educator Tim McCreight, and published by Brynmorgen Press, known for high quality publications. Publication date is yet to be determined.

As Betty and I work on the book, we have become aware that many of our favorite tools are one-of-a-kinds that we have made or found.  We want our future readers to be able to have the necessary tools for the techniques in the book, so we have been designing tools, and working with manufacturers to bring them into production. I am really excited about our first tool!  We have teamed up with Bill Fretz to design and produce the Ultimate Spiculum Hammer. The Ultimate Spiculum Hammer has the elegant lines and exquisitely comfortable handle that are trademarks of Fretz hammers.  The hammers are have the Longhi and Eid logos on the handle, and the traditional Fretz logo on the hammer-head.  Around 1980, Betty designed and made a hammer that was based on one that she had watched Heikki Seppa use to make spiculums. Lee Marshall of Bonny Doon Engineering produced a commercial version for Allcraft for many years.  Since Lee’s retirement, Betty has been searching for a new maker, so I approached Bill Fretz about making the spiculum hammer.  The new proportions and weight of the Ultimate Spiculum Hammer afford exquisite control and exceptional accuracy.  Thrilled with this hammer, Betty and I have designed additional hammers to be made by Bill Fretz, to make a set of shell forming hammers. The set is currently in development.  The Ultimate Spiculum Hammer is now available from Allcraft Tools, in New York.

Phone: 800-645-7124        Email: allcrafttools@yahoo.com

A Flared Spiculum---from an exercise in the book in progress

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After 3 days of Creatively Fold Forming Argentium Silver at Metalwerx, May 2009

Recently, I had the pleasure of teaching this workshop at Metalwerx, in Waltham, MA.  We had a great time, and I thought I’d share some images from the workshop.  As usual, the group had wonderful variety in ages, experience, and personality.  Some people tried to make a sample of each technique demonstrated—  others focused more on finishing a few new pieces using new knowledge. (You can click on each image to see it larger. Click again to see it even larger.)

Cynthia

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Pebble in a Pond-Argentium Silver bowl with 24K Kum Boo

View of Bottom, showing the Kum Boo “pebble” that caused the “ripples” and “waves”

Detail view

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Some time ago, there was a discussion on Orchid about how to attach a commercial barrette finding to the back of a hand-made barrette.  I tried to describe my method, but, words are never as good as a picture.  Here are photos of both front and back of a barrette that I recently finished.

Barrette- Forged, with Marriage of Metals

The “frame” of this piece is forged Argentium Silver.  The interior section is marraige of metals made with AS (Argentium Silver) and nugold (also called jewelers’ bronze, or red brass).

Here is the back view:

Barrette finding is attached with wire

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Recently, I finished a neckpiece, and took it along to a family reunion. 

While showing it to a cousin, another relative came by, and suggested, “Oh, it looks like it could work this way too!”   “Hey, cool!” we think.     It looks good on my cousin both ways! She likes the idea of being able to have two looks with one piece of jewelry, too.   The problem is to make it hang well in both orientations, AND be easy for her arthritic fingers to manage.  Here is what I came up with for the pendant orientation.  It needed a pearl drop as a visual “punctuation mark”, and an M-shaped component which makes it hang correctly, and makes it easier to hook the parts together.  These two items are left at home in the jewelry box when she wants to wear the piece as a choker.

Sea-ish XIV

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I just finished teaching a weekend workshop at Metalwerx, and am very pleased at how much everyone learned and accomplished.  We started with how to hold a hammer, and began by making basic forms in bronze.  Participants then could continue to forge in bronze, or work with Argentium  Sterling Silver.  Demonstrations alternated with working time throughout the two days. Here are some images from the discussion at the end of the workshop.

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I’ve just received an invitation to teach two workshops at the The Jewellery Industry Innovation Centre( JIIC ), which is part of The Birmingham City University’s School of Jewellery.http://www.jewellery-innovation.co.uk/ I’ll be teaching two 5-day Short Courses (British for “workshop” is “Short Course”).  I’m excited!  I taught a hydraulic press short course/workshop in 2005 and really enjoyed it.

At many schools that I have visited, the metals department is in the basement of the building, or in a tiny, dark area.  In contrast, the school in Birmingham has its own new building, which is a large, light-filled contemporary building, with an atrium in the middle, and beautiful gallery.  There are THIRTEEN studios!  It is really a wonderful place.  They have FOUR Bonny Doon presses!  However, guess where they are—-yup, you guessed it: in the basement.  It is a very nice basement, however!

Cooksons is across the street, and other suppliers are nearby as well.  Not far away is an intriguing museum—a jewelry manufacturer that has been preserved as it was when it closed decades ago.

I look forward to exploring more of Birmingham, which is a city in the process of changing.  When I visited in 2005, I enjoyed walking along the canal every day from my motel to the school.  The canal is landscaped, with interesting signs about its history.  I liked watching a lock being opened for a boat to pass through.  The canal is a lively area for nightlife, with nice cafes and restaurants.

I hope to meet some Orchidians in England next summer!  The Microfolding/Corrugation workshop will be July 27-31, 2009.  The Hydraulic Press workshop will be August 3-7, 2009.

Cynthia

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Necklace - Argentium Stering Silver, 14KYG, 24K Kum Boo

This new piece is called Changing Sides, because each unit is reversable, and as the necklace is worn, each bead/unit is apt to flip over, and change sides from all-silver with texture to silver with gold kum boo.  The piece changes dynamically, as the wearer moves, or chooses which designs to show the world.

Here are views with all the silver sides up, and a mix.

the all-silver side

Changing Sides-mixed

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