Stamped, Wired & InspIred

by Rochelle Nation

I get great joy from creating mixed-media jewelry pieces. It’s so much fun to mix metals, gemstones, materials, and techniques to create a unique piece of wearable art. I am helplessly addicted to stamping with solder. It’s such an exciting and organic process — no two pieces

ever turn out the same, which adds to the thrill. The resulting stamped texture makes such an interesting effect on metal. I also relish the fact that if you’re unhappy with what you’ve created, you can simply re-flow the solder and stamp again.

Wire is my go-to medium of choice when I need a component to tie a design together. It’s really amazing what you can design with plain round wire and a few hand tools. The versatility of wire allows you to create components, clasps, and elements, all of which add interest and enhance the beauty of completed jewelry creations.

This inspired statement necklace came to life after seeing the work of Staci Louise Smith in the Winter 2017 Issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry. Her beautiful polymer clay art spoke to me. I love creating pieces that look and feel rustic as if they have a story to tell. This piece looks like something you might find in a salvage yard. It’s very sculptural and industrial, yet soft and feminine due to the vintage ribbon. I absolutely love wearing this piece … I feel like I’m a walking art show! ➻

Supplies• Beads: labradorite; round

smokey quartz; crystal• Bench block & pad• Brass stamping: oval• Chain: gunmetal; rhinestone• Cloth• Dapping block & punch:

(Pepe)• Disc cutter: Pepe• Fire brick• Flush cutters: heavy-duty• Flux: (Classic 100 Gel Flux)• Hammer: ball-peen; texture;

plastic mallet; brass• Hole punch

• Jump rings• Liver of sulfur• Metal file• Nail• Patina: (Novacan);

(Ranger - Vintaj)• Paintbrush • Permanent marker:

(Sharpie)• Plastic bowl• Pliers: chain-nosed; round-

nosed; mandrel (Wubbers)• Ring mandrel• Rubber stamp• Ruler

• Sanding block• Sandpaper• Shape template: oval• Shears• Sheet metal: copper,

20- & 24-ga.• Soap: liquid• Solder: lead-free• Steel wool • Toothbrush• Torch• Vintage: ribbon• Vise• Wire: copper, 12-, 14-,

16- & 20-ga.

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TechniqueStamped Ring1. Trace the desired ring shape and band onto a

20-gauge copper sheet, and cut with shears. Using a bench block and pad, flatten the metal with a plastic mallet. File and sand any rough edges. Using a texture hammer, texture the back of the sheet metal.

2. Place the copper ring shape on a fire brick and coat with flux. Heat the copper with a torch and flow solder over the entire piece. While solder is molten, carefully press a rubber stamp into the solder. Allow to cool, quench in water, and then clean thoroughly with soapy water and a toothbrush. Repeat the process with the copper ring band, but omit stamping with a rubber stamp.

3. Punch a hole in one end of the ring band. Punch a second hole on the edge of the oval ring shape. Secure the pieces together with a nail. Cut the nail with heavy-duty flush cutters and rivet together using a ball-peen hammer on a bench block and pad.

4. Secure the ring mandrel in the vise and begin hammering one side of the stamped oval with a plastic mallet to shape the ring. Repeat the process on the other side of the oval ring. Form the ring band by hammering it around the ring mandrel.

5. Coat the stamped oval ring shape with Vintaj patina and let dry. Sand off excess patina on the raised areas with sandpaper. Brush Novacan patina all over the ring shape and band. Once the desired color has been achieved, rinse with water and dry with a cloth.

Wired Necklace1. File and sand any rough edges of the brass

stamping. Place the brass stamping on a fire brick and coat with flux. Heat the brass with a torch and flow solder over the entire piece. While the solder is molten, carefully press a rubber stamp into the solder. Allow the piece to cool, quench in water, and clean with a cloth.

2. Brush flux onto the back of a rhinestone and place near the edge on the brass stamping. Focus the flame directly on the rhinestone to melt the solder. Allow to cool and quench in water. Clean thoroughly with soapy water and a toothbrush.

3. Brush the front and back of the stamped pendant with Novacan patina. Once the desired color is achieved, rinse with water and let dry.

4. Flush-cut two pieces of 14-gauge wire to the desired length, texture with a hammer, and file the ends smooth. Flush-cut 16-gauge wire and wrap around the two 14-gauge decorative accent wires to create the bail. Flush-cut 20-gauge wire and thread the ends through the loops of the stamped pendant. Wrap wire around the 14-gauge and 16-gauge decorative wire to secure in place.

5. Thread 16-gauge wire through each gemstone bead, make two simple loops, and cut off the excess wire.

6. Flush-cut 16-gauge wire and create two coiled wire connectors using mandrel pliers. Flush-cut 14-gauge wire and create a simple hook clasp using mandrel pliers.

7. Dip all copper components and jump rings in mixed liver of sulfur solution. Once the desired color is achieved, rinse with water and let dry.

8. Using chain-nosed pliers, connect the pendant, wired gemstones, connectors, chain, and clasp together with jump rings.

Inspired Necklace1. Trace the desired shape onto a 24-gauge copper

sheet metal, and cut the shape with shears. Using a bench block and pad, flatten metal with a plastic mallet. File and sand any rough edges. Using a disc cutter and brass hammer, punch circles into the 24-gauge copper. Using a dapping block and dapping punches, dap out circles.

2. Place the copper piece on a fire brick and coat with flux. Heat the copper with a torch and flow solder over the entire piece. Allow the piece to cool, and quench in water. Clean thoroughly with soapy water and a toothbrush. ➻

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3. Lay the copper piece on a bench block and pad, and add texture with the round end of a ball-peen hammer.

4. Brush the front and back of the copper pendant with Novacan patina. Once the desired color is achieved, rinse with water and let dry.

5. Using 16-gauge copper wire and mandrel pliers, wrap the wire through and around one of the circle openings in the pendant to create a wired bail. Flush-cut 12-gauge copper wire to the desired length, texture with a hammer, and file the ends smooth. Slide the 12-gauge copper wire through the wired bail on the pendant. Use 16-gauge copper wire to secure the wired bail in place by wrapping the wire on each side of the bail. Use mandrel pliers to create a second bail.

6. Using 14-gauge copper wire and mandrel pliers, create a multi-wired component to hang the pendant from. Bend the wired component into a U-shape. Add 16-gauge copper wire as an accent on top of the 14-gauge base wire. Shape with your fingers to create a free-formed look. Thread 16-gauge copper wire through the second bail you created and secure in place.

7. Brush flux on one end of the wired component and onto the back of the rhinestone chain. Heat the area with a torch and secure the rhinestone with solder. Wrap the rhinestone chain as desired and repeat the process to secure the other end of the rhinestone chain in place. Allow the piece to cool, clean thoroughly with soapy water and a toothbrush, and let dry.

8. Using 16-gauge copper wire and mandrel pliers, wire-wrap the crystal accent bead. Flush-cut the desired length of 14-gauge copper wire and make a simple loop on each end using the tip of round-nosed pliers. Using mandrel pliers, wrap each end to create an S-clasp.

9. Brush the copper wire components, jump rings, and 20-gauge copper with prepared liver of sulfur solution. Rinse with water and let dry. Use steel wool to remove excess patina as desired.

10. Attach the accent chain and wire-wrapped crystal to the bottom of the pendant with jump rings. Use 20-gauge copper wire to attach the vintage ribbon to the wired component and to jump rings. Attach the S-clasp to jump rings.

Tips• If you are unhappy with your first attempt at

stamping in the molten solder, it can be reheated and stamped again. If you overheat the solder, you run the risk of melting your rubber stamp.

• Be sure the rhinestones are made of glass! Plastic rhinestones will melt when heated with a torch.

• The stamped ring is adjustable and will fit any sized finger.

Rochelle Nation is a published jewelry artist and mixed-media jewelry instructor who resides in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, Jim. Her jewelry collection, workshop, and show schedule can be found online at rochellenation.com or on Instagram (@rnationjewelry).

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