Back when I wanted stuff like a jewelry making anvil
, a ball and peen hammer
, and a bent-nose pliers
- yes, not a chain nose pliers, which I actually don't use, but one with a bent nose that allows you to manipulate jewelry wire easily - it was a challenge. Some of these more specialized jeweler's tools were hard to locate.
Now it's a slightly different matter for these previously hard-to-find items.
, a ball and peen hammer, and a bent-nose pliers - yes, not a chain nose pliers, which I actually don't use, but one with a bent nose that allows you to manipulate jewelry wire easily - it was a challenge. Some of these more specialized jeweler's tools were hard to locate.Now it's a slightly different matter for these previously hard-to-find items.
Jewelers' anvils are small and can be as simple as a square block
a few inches long to a bench anvil that secures onto a jeweler's bench (or you can get a clamp tool
to do it). A bench block anvil that's square in shape doesn't have any horns for shaping, so is simply used for hammering sterling silver wire and other jewelry wire.
Some "double horn" bench anvils come with a horn on each end for shaping rings, bracelets, and other jewelry projects using metal sheet. Other jewelry making anvils have just a single horn.
There are many stores that carry these out-of-the-ordinary supplies. I've found that Amazon.com has a tremendous selection of ball pein hammers, and even some chasing hammers and other more obscure supplies like rawhide mallets
, a jeweller's loupe 30X, and more.
a few inches long to a bench anvil that secures onto a jeweler's bench (or you can get a clamp tool to do it). A bench block anvil that's square in shape doesn't have any horns for shaping, so is simply used for hammering sterling silver wire and other jewelry wire.Some "double horn" bench anvils come with a horn on each end for shaping rings, bracelets, and other jewelry projects using metal sheet. Other jewelry making anvils have just a single horn.
There are many stores that carry these out-of-the-ordinary supplies. I've found that Amazon.com has a tremendous selection of ball pein hammers, and even some chasing hammers and other more obscure supplies like rawhide mallets
, a jeweller's loupe 30X, and more.
If all these relatively obscure jeweler's supplies are now available so many places, then there must be a growing market of those who make and sell jewelry. And if that market is growing, then despite the economic downturn, this suggests there are still people buying artisan jewelry...although I'd venture to say they're buying the more low-ticket items. Which is still good news if it's true.
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