Jewelry Making Tip 3



How to harden/straighten wire to hold shape for wire weaving?

Answer
Tapping it with a jewellery hammer gently and sliding it through your fingers wrapped with cloth from one end to the other a few times straightens it. It also depends on the kind of wire from dead soft to hard and what gauge it is. But in India, there is not much choice, so we use whatever is available.
I run it through plastic insert pliers 3 or 4 times to straighten and harden it. Wires harden as they are bent into shape. Hammering hard might flatten it so don't do that unless you want a flat end.
Mostly wires harden as you work with it. You can use a leather or rubber mallet to lightly hit it to harden it a bit as well.