Project 3!

Continuing my work with Hercules knots, this is my first interpretation of a common motif in necklaces. Most examples I've found have been from auction sites, though the Walters Museum has at least two in their collection, and the below example is from the British Museum. All the examples that I've seen have had emerald or otherwise green beads. It's sometimes listed as green agate. I really only trust the museums so much in correctly identifying ancient stones. One thing the museums and auction sites do seem to agree on is that most examples date from the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE.

This example below, which may or may not be at the British Museum (I found it on Pinterest, and reverse image search didn't bring up anything definitive. It could be a modern copy, but the bead quality and cut makes me doubt that), is what I based my knots on. Mine are definitely not perfect, but this was meant to be a quick project to get my feet wet again. Success! My feet are wet, and my goal is to remake this with better knots that are a little smaller. I think I also want to shoot more for the shape of the one above, with a completely closed neck. 

One final example from the British Museum, an individual link that's 2.5 cm long. This one has less refinement, and is more like what I accomplished. I need more practice. Though this is the size I'd like to aim for next. My current ones are more like 4 cm, end to end.

My links are 20 gauge fine silver (all examples are gold), soldered into loops that were further formed into shape using a ring mandrel, round nose pliers, and my fingers. Each knot is soldered at 4 points. I chose not to solder the center points. I probably should have, but I melted quite a few of these, and decided to call them done with 4 points of contact connected. I would probably use 18 gauge wire next time. 

Loops! 

Rough forming. 

The shape is kind of like a club, or almost a ping-pong paddle. I want to get a more defined neck with a more circular smaller end next time. 

Finished knots

All the failures. I love saving my failures! These will eventually have the solder cut off, and then probably become granules. The rings may be salvaged for smaller rings or filigree. 

First (and second) Project of July

This project sort of fell into my lap, happily, when a friend asked me to work on a collaboration. Khalja supplied three fine silver coins, struck by Arion Wanderer, and asked me to make earrings and a pendant with them. She knew exactly what she wanted them to look like, and I knew what she wanted. They were a gift for her new Majesty Brynhildr of An Tir, SCA.

The earrings are set in a frame of fine silver wire, with prongs soldered on. This is a modern design that's commonly found using old Roman coins. I used modern silver ear wires, but in hindsight, I wish I'd just made my own. If I'd had hard silver wire, I would have.

The pendant, on the other hand, is a medieval as they come. A very simple design, the bail is a piece of fine silver sheet that I cut and formed over, and then it was riveted to the coin. Examples of riveted coins are all over the Viking era, and they're easy to find. What I haven't researched enough is if they're regional to anywhere specific, or if it was a more generally diffused practice. There are definitely examples from Gotland. Again in hindsight, I wish I'd don't some stamping on the bail before forming it. That's not as common a practice based on examples, but I found at least one. If I get to do this again, I'll do that. 

The little pin rivet was made from 18 gauge fine silver wire. I melted a little head on one end and peened the back side flat. The head flattened a little bit, but that's okay. It still stands up like a little button. This is truly so much fun to do! The biggest trick was getting the head melted on the wire. I started out holding it in pliers, which were too much of a heat sink. Next time I'll just wait until I've melted the head to cut it, so I can just hold it further down, in my hand. That's how I've done this before, for Tilda's pendant.

Back at it

First time back in the shop in two years, and I'm pretty pleased. I spent yesterday sketching projects I want to try this year, and today I finally lit the torch. And I started none of those projects. I want to knock the dust off, literally and figuratively. So basic soldering, shaping, a little pick soldering. The latter isn't, to the best of my knowledge, period, but until I make my own solder powder, it's what I sometimes need to do with chips. 

Making my own solder is in the cards for this year, I just need a graphite rod, some powdered borax, and a crucible. I have the raw materials already. I'm a little nervous about soldering with just an alloy of silver and copper, but I'm trusting the process. Worst case scenario, after I try it a few times, I can melt it back down and add some zinc if I don't like it as is. I'm really game to try it, though. It worked for medieval goldsmiths.

For now, these are imperfect, but I'm not trying for perfection. I'm just working on progress. (These are also desperately in need of cleaning, and that's going to be a job for the flex shaft, which needs an extension cord.)