Lapidary_Journal_Jewelry_Artist_-_February_2016_

easier to use a transitional stake as a

step to the fi nal form. If you start with

a very curved stake, the fl at metal can

ripple as it is being compressed, making

it harder to control the movement of

the metal as you hammer. The bangle

should rest on the top of the stake, so

the overhang is compressed down to

the stake with the fl at end of the nylon

hammer. If there is no air gap between

the metal and the stake. you will only

thin the metal and not raise it.

Second Raising

Photo 7 The interesting thing about

working pure silver is you do not have to

anneal between steps or courses as the

metal is being formed. The next stake is

the M-114 (about 10 mm wide), and the

same technique is used to continue to

dome the metal.

NOTE: The term raising comes from

raising fl at metal into a bowl shape as

the metal is hammered or raised up the

stake. Raising a ring on a curved surface

is actually moving the metal down to

the stake but when taken off the stake

it shows the metal edge has been raised

in. The shape is similar to a donut; the

hole should be getting smaller on the

bangle as the metal is domed.

Photo 8 After each course, the shape

can distort a little and truing up helps

in future steps. Lay the bangle on a fl at

steel block or piece of hardwood and

tap the edges of the bangle from both

sides so it lies fl at.

Make Bill’s bangles

and come up with

your own metalwork

designs with a

collection of Bill

Fretz Tools and

More. The collection

includes:

Q H-1L Long Holder

QM-113 20mm

Convex Cuff Stake

QM-114 10mm

Convex Cuff Stake

QHMR-1 Planishing

Hammer

Q“Hammer Textures

and Forms with Bill

Fretz” (video)

QAnd much more!

Available now at

http://www.interweavestore.

com.

GET THE

FRETZ TOOLS

FOR THIS

PROJECT

k ill b l

Reshaping a Stake

Photo 9The M-114 was the thinnest

bracelet stake available at the time of

this writing, and I needed a thinner one

— so I modifi ed another M-114 into the

needed shape.

NOTE: By modifying stakes, you can

make things that no one else can. So

there is a choice — design around the

stakes you have and that are available,

or design around a concept and then

modify the stake to make that design

a reality. The fi rst step in modifying a

stake is to belt sand the stake to the

roughly desired shape. In this case,

I wanted held the stake in an E-101

6

7

8

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January/February 2016^37