Ball Clasp

This is one of the projects from Stage 5 of the Silver program at Jewellery Training Solutions. Given that I love to make chains, I’m very excited to learn how to make these different types of clasps. This one was so much fun to make!

I’m struggling these days being very productive in the studio. I’ve been working on engraving this week, and I took care of some odds and ends. I figure I need to push myself to get back into these projects since it helps gives me some momentum. Without any shows this year, it’s been a long and frustrating year and it’s very difficult to continue to feel motivated and creative.

What were the challenges?

While not perfect, I’m very happy with how this project turned out. The challenges were to make a perfect sphere and to get the inset pieces into the sphere. Also to get the nice high polish on the piece. And, apparently silver spheres with a high polish are very difficult to photograph without tons of reflections!

Where could I improve?

I’m frustrated that the seam around the inset piece is visible. Maybe I needed to use more solder, since there was a pretty good fit of the two pieces. Also one of the jump rings shifted when I was soldering and slight flat spot I filed on it is visible. Lastly, it should be a little bit more snug when the two pieces turn. It always amazes me that things don’t fit, don’t fit, don’t fit…. and then, Wham!, they are too loose!

What did I learn?

I was much more comfortable this time making the sphere. Also, I learned how to use my rolling mill to create round stock from square stock - a very cool tip.