'Something's Fishy' Jewelry Pendant

Jewelry designer Victoria Lansford, of Atlanta, demonstrates how to create a metal fish-shaped jewelry element that can be worn as a pin or pendant. Prior knowledge of metalsmithing and jewelry making techniques is required.

Materials Needed:

• acetylene torch
• paste flux
• medium silver solder and easy silver solder
• soldering brick with mesh screen
• solder pick
• German charcoal block
• small paintbrush
• tweezers and wood-insulated cross tweezers
• pickle
• metal shears
• jeweler's saw
• 2/0 saw blades
• 1/2 round/flat needle file
• 20-gauge drill bit
• round pliers, flat pliers and chain-nose pliers
• flexible shaft machine
• silicon wheels for the flex shaft in course, fine and high shine
• muslin wheels for the flex shaft
• screw top mandrels

• polishing compound
• hot plate
• steel burnisher
• thin cotton gloves
• rolling mill
• bezel pusher
• agate burnisher
• liver of sulfur
• ammonia
• 24-gauge sterling silver sheet
• 10-gauge sterling silver round wire
• 18-gauge sterling silver round wire
• 22K gold bezel wire
• 1-2 DWT of 24K gold casting grain or kum-boo leaf
• stainless steel fishing wire
• 3mm-5mm round stone
• tea strainer
• paper and pencil
• jewelry files

Steps:

1. Draw the sketch of the fish on paper.

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2. Cut very small chips of sterling silver sheet (Image 1).

3. Scatter the silver chips on a charcoal block (Image 2).

4. Aim the torch at each chip until it melts and forms a ball. Let these cool on the charcoal block for a few minutes, rake them into a plastic tea strainer and place in the pickle for two minutes. Rinse and dry them on a paper towel. Set aside.

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