When Selling Beads with Silver Wire

[Angie09]

I love to make beads with silver wire decoration on the outside of the bead but once in a while a little droplet of silver will fall off the bead leaving a small hole. I am wondering if it appropriate to still sell these beads or are they just considered seconds? Thanks for any clarification.

[Lisi]

I have wondered about the same thing.

[KJohn]

I don't make these often, is the hole or mark noticeable?

[Angie09]

Only if you're really looking for it.

[Lisi]

I read here somewhere that if you use your marver to press the silver in as you shape up your bead, it stays intact without popping out so much.

[Angie09]

Originally Posted by Lisi

I read here somewhere that if you use your marver to press the silver in as you shape up your bead, it stays intact without popping out so much.

I do that on every bead but once it a while, a ball of the silver will come off.

[Lisi]

That's disappointing.

I hope others will chime in. It seems to be a pretty popular bead style so customers must be happy, or we would find this topic being brought up a lot more. I'm curious as to how other beadmakers make theirs.

[Angie09]

No one else wants to voice their opinion? Alot of you make these beads....do you worry about a little ball of silver breaking lose???

[designsbykurato]

I find that they usually fall off if I overheat the bead after applying the silver, I don't sell those.

[LyndaJ]

If that happens, it usually feels sharp. I wouldn't use in jewelry for others or sell with sharp areas. I've looked at those holes under magnification, and there are usually some pretty thin areas of glass where the silver popped out.

[AVTrout]

Ditto to what Lynda says. I've made some beautiful beads that I really thought were special....then my dh pointed out the sharp spot.....and so they became part of my own permanent collection! I wouldn't sell anything with a sharp spot or hole.

[Sheila D.]

I make a lot of these. When I melt the silver in I do it very close to the flame, hot and fast so the glass actually melts a little when the silver balls up. I rarely have any fall off.

[Ravenesque]

I've noticed it depends on the glass too, some it just pops right off, mostly some transparents. But I too wonder how secure these are, I marver them in but they still rise to the surface no matter it seems. I only sell encased wire because I just don't know ?
Or it's the gauge I use? I use 30g

[ESC]

You need to marver that silver in while the surface is still tacky. Then a quick fire polish. It allows the silver to slightly recess into the surface, I.e. glass rising above the hemisphere of the silver globe and 'grabbing' hold.

[jaci]

Could you etch them to make them not sharp?? Or spot grind a tiny tiny bit and then etch? Maybe...