Getting a Uniform Round Edge on Wire
by Kylie Jones
When you cut wire with flush cutters there is a small ridge in the centre of the cut that is raised and not truly flush. This ridge needs to be filled flat to give your wire ends a finished look. If the wire end comes into contact with skin or can catch on clothes also rounding off the sharp edge that goes around the end of the wire will make your jewelry much more user friendly. Rounding the end of the wire can also be a design feature. You can completely round the end of wire similar to the prongs in gemstone settings or you can just round the sharp edge that goes right around the edge at the ends of the wire.
Instructions
You can use a file or sandpaper to do this but if you want a uniform finish that is quick to achieve a cup bur is a great tool. You can buy them attached to wooden dowels or you can just buy the burs and put them in a pin vise or rotary tool. You can even just turn the bur in your fingers. Burs are designed to cut in 1 direction. If you are looking into the cup of the bur the cutting direction is counterclockwise. If you are looking at the back of the bur the cutting direction is clockwise.
Kylie Jones's Getting a Uniform Round Edge on Wire  - , General Education, Filing, Finishing, , Getting a Uniform Round Edge on Wire
Kylie Jones's Getting a Uniform Round Edge on Wire  - , General Education, Filing, Finishing, , Getting a Uniform Round Edge on Wire
Cup burs give you the same shape each time whereas using a file you have to spend time ensuring you get the right shape. Cup burs come in different sizes. When I first bought cup burs I thought that a 1mm bur would round 1mm wire but this isn't how it works. The brand of cup burs that I have are sized by the outer measurement across the cup and the wire needs to sit inside the cup. So for 1mm wire a 1mm bur will be too small. I use a 1.4mm bur for 1mm wire. It is a bit of trial and error to find the size bur that leaves the perfect rounded edge on the wire size you use.
Kylie Jones's Getting a Uniform Round Edge on Wire  - , General Education, Filing, Finishing, , Getting a Uniform Round Edge on Wire
Kylie Jones's Getting a Uniform Round Edge on Wire  - , General Education, Filing, Finishing, , Getting a Uniform Round Edge on Wire

Materials

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Tools

Wire Rounder Set, 3 pieces
G14-20
  • G14-20
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $13.95
  • Gold Club Price: $10.46
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Wire Rounder with Wooden Handle - Pack of 1
G14-19
  • G14-19
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $7.95
  • Gold Club Price: $5.96
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  • Category: General Education
  • Technique(s): Filing / Finishing, General Education