Wire Temper & Hardening
WIRE THICKNESS
Wire is measured in gauges, where the lower numbers indicate thicker wires and higher numbers indicate thinner wires. Depending on style and designs, jewelry makers can choose any thickness they feel necessary.
Thick wire: Ranging from 18 to 22 gauges can be used as base for which thinner wire and beads can be attached.
Thin wire: Ranging from 24 to 28 gauges is applied in techniques derived from needle-lace and basket weaving such as coiling and spiraling.
When combining thick and thin wire in the techniques, it is important to avoid combining gauges too close to each other.
Wire Gauges Chart
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Recommended Wire Gauges for Wire Tools
WIRE TEMPER
The temper of wire is the hardness or softness of the wire. Jewelry making wire comes in a variety of tempers. Different tempers are appropriate for different applications in making wire jewelry. The most commonly used tempers in wire jewelry are dead soft, soft, half hard, and spring hard.
Spring hard: The hardest temper appropriate for jewelry making, it is only recommended for making pin backs and other very sturdy elements.
Half-hard: One of the most common tempers used by jewelry makers, especially used for border wraps (a bezel around a cabochon or other non-drilled stone) or when binding wires together. In this site, half-hard wire is only used for armatures (thick gauges).
Soft or dead-soft: This is the softest temper used by jewelry makers. Thin wires (26g and 30g) in soft temper tend to behave like fiber and can be used in a variety of techniques, such as stitching, coiling, weaving, lacing. When working with soft wire, it is important to remember to not manipulate it excessively, since it can become very springy and brittle.
Let's look at the best choice for the job:
| Temper |
Wire Sculpting, Coiling & Weaving |
Border
Wire Wrap |
Binding
Wire Bundles |
Pin Backs & Sturdy Elements |
| Dead Soft |
X |
- |
- |
- |
| Soft |
X |
- |
- |
- |
| Half Hard |
- |
X |
X |
- |
| Spring hard |
- |
- |
- |
X |
The shape of the wire is achieved by forming the wire and by drawing it through a draw plate. The temper increases each time that the wire is drawn through the draw plate. Wire temper is often referred to by numbers. For example, "one number hard" means that the wire has been drawn through a draw plate one time, and so on. Most of these operations are technical methods that only the dealers and mills perform. You can do it yourself, but most all wire sculptors buy it already prepared and ready to go. That way you can spend more time on perfecting your craft rather than preparing your wire.
Here is a wire temper chart:
| Dead Soft |
Fully annealed |
| Quarter Hard |
1 number hard |
| Half Hard |
2 numbers hard |
| Full Hard |
4 numbers hard |
| Extra Hard |
6 numbers hard |
| Spring Hard |
8 numbers hard |
| Extra Spring Hard |
10 numbers hard |
WORK HARDENING
Work hardening your wire actually changes the molecular structure inside the wire. It is the process of manipulating the wire to lock in the design and stiffen the wire to strengthen it. To work harden your wire use the Nylon Jaw Pliers. These pliers gently flatten and harden the wire, without nicking or changing the diameter.
Related Products:
Soft Flex Art Wire
Wire Working Tools
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