Ten Technical Tips for Better SilverSilking

SilverSilk is a custom-made, free-flowing, knitted wire jewelry chain. But it doesn’t just play up jewelry; it can work well with many other crafts as well. Thus, it's a really versatile, fun product that is also super easy to work with. And best of all, it has lots of fascinating, picturesque colors that are sure to excite your inner child! My current selection of knitted wire Capture Chain has over twenty-five colors and I have six alluring colors in finishes for my end caps- silver, dark, rhodium, gold, antique gold, and antique copper- that'll have you donning flamboyance as a second skin!

SilverSilk can be super fun to work with if you just keep a note of a few simple tips to ensure hassle-free crimping. My end caps are customized and tailored to perfection with customer ease and preference as the absolute priority. In fact, when I took over distribution and manufacturing for SilverSilk, I had my loyal customers, called the SilverSilk Silkies, vote here for the products and changes they wanted me to innovate in my brand. The verdict for a thicker wire inspired me to change the chain size from 2.5mm to 3.7mm. Ever since, our creativity has been uncontainable, and in our bouts of artistry, the Silkies and I are always exploring de novo design possibilities.

Almost a century ago, combining strings and clasps even for the simplest designs was no less than a nightmare! You had to string the coiled wire to avoid friction and then pass it through the clasp back on the beads, tie a knot, pass through a few more beads, another knot, and so on, till it’s finally done. Now, some people still make jewelry the old-fashioned way but lucky for us- we don’t have to! Don’t worry if you’re not a very dextrous individual, because crimping with my custom end caps allows you to create beautiful jewelry pieces without any hassle! If the idea of crimping intimidates you, you're in luck because I’ve got just ten really great tips to help you master the art of crimping my end caps to fashion professionally finished jewelry pieces and make crimping a breeze!

Tip #1: Trim the Fuzzies Splinters:

When you trim the SilverSilk, you'll notice an extra ball chain bead or two and some loose wire at one end. What I do to secure this is just push the ball chain backward and pinch the wire with my thumb and index finger. Then, I use the pliers to take out the loose ends or fuzzies – as I like to call them. These fuzzies tend to get in the way of the teeth that are inside the end cap, making the crimp less secure if you leave the fuzzies on the knitted wire. So, simply use chain nose pliers to pluck them away. Pearlesque and Capture Chain are knitted with six needles, so you’ll have at least 3 to 5 fuzzies that you will need to remove.

Tip #2: Open Up the End Caps:

My end caps have one or multiple channels and are aligned with special teeth on the inside. And sometimes, they're not fully open, so I suggest you manually open them up a bit. Insert a chain nose plier into a channel of the end cap and just press out against the plier handles to open it up. Now the tricky part is that because the end caps are made of brass, which is a high-quality dense metal, you do want to be firm but not blunt and tear it apart! The last thing you want is a wasted end cap, so just be gentle with it and do it slowly and precisely. The end cap should open up between one to three millimeters for easy fitting of your jewelry chain or even leather cord.

Tip #3: Use Wide Flat Nose Pliers:

Wide flat nose pliers tend to work best for crimping. I have tried using nylon jaw pliers in the past, but everything just slips through because of the nylon jaws. It was terribly frustrating and difficult to show on camera for my live Tuesday Tutorials on Facebook. I recommend using a pair of wide flat nose pliers for a better grip on the end cap. Plus, it reduces the chance of accidentally scratching the finding. I recommend purchasing a pair of 9mm wide flat nose pliers from Wubbers Tools for comfortable crimping.

Tip #4: Align the Chains:

I always align my knitted wire chains together before inserting them into the end cap because then I don't have to worry about them not going all the way in, in each of the channels. You can use some scrap 20-gauge Soft Flex craft wire as a way to clamp the chains temporarily as you crimp. Simply take the scrap wire and go through all three chains at once near the edge of the chain when all the chains are aligned. Then you can either hold or bend the scrap wire in place so that the chains don't shift as you feed it into the channels of the end cap and crimp. The good thing is that it won't fray, and you can even sew through it! Also, this aligns everything and ensures there are no slip-ups or shifts as you're holding it.

Tip #5: Tool Magic Is Truly Magical:

My flat nose pliers, which I use exclusively for end caps, are dipped in tool magic. I tend to apply two coats and leave them to dry overnight between each coat application. Tool magic is a silicone-based product designed to prevent abrasive damage when working with any sort of wire or finding. It serves as a cushion-like barrier between the metal pliers and the metal of the wire or finding so as to avoid them rubbing together and scratching each other. And that's not all; the silicone ensures a secure hold on those end caps, so they don't go on their own adventures, flying across the room like the one time I attempted to use nylon pliers for crimping- not a good idea! In short, tool magic will protect your materials from friction and make sure there are no slip-ups, thanks to its silicone formula.

If you don't use tool magic, maybe it's time you started! Head on over and grab some here from- you guessed it, Soft Flex Company. A jewelry fanatic’s best friend, for sure!

Tip #6: Close the Seams on Those End Caps:

Tip #7 Consistent Finding Plating:

Jewelry making doesn't have to be expensive, but you can sure tell if a jewelry piece was made fast and cheap! My custom findings also take into account consumer bias, so I encourage you to put them to the test and let me know if it has changed your life! My top-notch manufacturer always delivers first-class, high-quality plated findings with a brass interior, ensuring stability and a bright and shiny polish. I have a whole range of 12 distinct findings- from terminators, clasps, jump rings to end caps, headpins, and more- you name it! There is no discrepancy in the plating across the findings, so no more guessing colors if you acquire your findings from various companies. I have a one-stop-shop for findings and knitted wire chains to help with all your jewelry making endeavors- guaranteeing quality, consistency, and perfection second to none.

Tip #8 Shake that SilverSilk Chain like a Polaroid Picture:

Crimp one end of the Silversilk chains with an end cap. Lift it up and let the raw end drop to untangle or untwist. This ensures a loose, free-flowing drape before you start crimping the other end. The last thing you want to do is to crimp and then un-crimp the finding just to fix it. Besides, removing crimps can weaken the chain structure and the end cap too, and you might accidentally scratch it while trying to remove it. Therefore, the goal is to get it right the first time.

Tip #9 More Than Just an End Cap Crimp:

In my experimental ventures, I’ve attached more than just SilverSilk to end caps for closures or jewelry components. You can make tassels or focal pieces with the triple-strand end caps simply by the different materials you choose to crimp in it. For example, I have often taken bundles of embroidery thread and inserted them in the end caps to create cute tassels. Or you could try using 2mm crystal cup chains instead for a new twist on fashion. The open channels of the end caps can inspire you to employ different materials to get a variety of colors and textures within seconds of crimping. Again, no hard and fast rule here. Use whatever you want and just go crazy with the colors and materials!

Tip #10 Stretching Exercise For SilverSilk:

You know when you stretch out a knitted sweater, and it just magically comes back as soon as you let go? Silversilk is like that too. When the wire is knitted, each stitch's particular shape allows the chain to expand or contract like a coiled spring. Now you know what the knit sleeve is for- it lends flexibility to the chain and makes it free-flowing and silky. Thus, the knitted wire tends to contract when rolled up into a 3-ft packaged spool as a consequence of all the expanding and contracting. This exposes more of the ball chain even though it is cut to size. In order to realign the knit sleeve with the ball chain, just hold the chain up and run your index finger and thumb together over the chain. Press it over the ball chain and stretch it to meet the end of the chain again and all your knitted wire is looking the way it should.

Bonus Tip: Recycling End Caps

So, you’ve crimped an end cap onto a jewelry piece that you’re just not feeling?

Or you just want to change the cord color?

Did you measure the wrong size for your bracelet?

Is your only option to throw it away?

Well, whatever the debacle, end caps can be re-used- so no, you don’t have to throw it away. You’ll just need chain nose pliers to gently pry the chain out of your precious end caps. I use Wubbers pliers because they have a very fine tip for precision and are a great investment for your tool kit.

For single-, double- or triple-strand end caps, grasp the knitted wire chain near the end cap channel with your chain nose pliers. Then gently pull it out of the end cap. Once the strand is out, you'll have access to the interior channel of the end cap. Go in with your plier tip, as though you were widening the end cap, and pry open the end caps. Now your end cap is ready to reuse! I actually did a tutorial on this a while back, which you can check out here.

Lastly, I recommend doing this technique only two times at most. Prying the end cap multiple times will cause abrasion and wearing out of the interior channels as well as ripping the end cap seam. So after two times, it will start to lose strength, and you will have to replace it completely.

Imagine the bracelet you're wearing just breaks and falls off? Not ideal, right? A fine finish is just as important, if not more, than the actual jewelry making process. End caps are a great way to secure your bracelets and necklaces and to keep them right where you want them. Crimping might seem daunting at first, but once you get the hang of it- easy peasy, lemon squeezy. In this post, I've outlined everything you need to know to crimp like a pro!

In case of any further queries, feel free to DM or email me at orders@silversilkonline.com. And don't forget to join me and the Silkies here on Facebook and subscribe to my channel on YouTube for free video tutorials every Tuesday at 5:30pm CST.

HUGS to you all!