Making a Flat-end Headpin

by Kylie Jones
It is great to be able to make your own headpins. These flat headpins are easy to buy but if you only need a few you can make them as you need them.
Instructions
Drill a hole in a scrap piece of metal that is the same size as your wire. The scrap metal needs to be at least 0.7mm thick. Straighten your wire and flush cut each piece to about 2mm longer than you want it to be when finished.
Kylie Jones's Making a Flat-end Headpin - , Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, drill a hole in a piece of metal
Put your wire through the drilled hole and secure the wire in the ring clamp with about 1mm sticking out beyond the drilled hole.
Kylie Jones's Making a Flat-end Headpin - , Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, put the wire through the hole
Kylie Jones's Making a Flat-end Headpin - , Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, put it in a ring clamp
Using the cross peen side of the riveting hammer lightly tap the end of the wire to start to spread the metal just like you would when making a wire rivet. Keep going lightly, turning the clamp to evenly spread the wire, use the round flat end of the hammer to make a rounded head shape. Keep pulling a little bit more wire out when you have spread the end flat against the drilled hole. I pulled more wire out 3 times. If you hit the wire too hard or you have too much wire sticking out it will just bend over. The wedge end of the clamp needs to be tightly pushed in to stop the wire disappearing as you hit it. This method makes a small flat end for small beads and crystals.
Kylie Jones's Making a Flat-end Headpin - , Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, tap the end of the wire
Kylie Jones's Making a Flat-end Headpin - , Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, makes a flat end
Kylie Jones's Making a Flat-end Headpin - , Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, makes a flat end
If you want to make these headpins for larger beads you can try slightly balling up the end of wire with a micro torch, stopping when there is just the beginnings of a ball. Then use the same method to flatten the end.
Kylie Jones's Making a Flat-end Headpin - , Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, ball the end
Kylie Jones's Making a Flat-end Headpin - , Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, flatten the ball
Kylie Jones's Making a Flat-end Headpin - , Findings & Components, Toggles & Clasps, Earwire & Headpin, Forging, Forging Jewelry, Jewelry Forging, flat end headpin

Materials

20 Gauge Round Half Hard .925 Sterling Silver Wire
H8-20H
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 feet
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 1FT
  • Price: $3.39
  • Gold Club Price: $2.54
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21 gauge scrap metal
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Wire by Gauge
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Beads
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Tools

Mahogany Ring Clamp
RCL-652.00
  • RCL-652.00
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $7.98
  • Gold Club Price: $5.98
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Riveting Hammer
HAM-200.00
  • HAM-200.00
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $24.97
  • Gold Club Price: $18.73
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20 pc. 61-80 Small Gauge Drill Bits
G26-60
  • G26-60
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $4.97
  • Gold Club Price: $3.73
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Foredom Foot Control for 115 Volt Series SR Motors
G22-C.FCT-1
  • G22-C.FCT-1
  • Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
  • Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
  • Price: $44.44
  • Gold Club Price: $33.33
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  • Category: Findings
  • Technique(s): Forging