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MajorTommy — Knot Ring-Bracelet Set Silver

Published: 2006-03-11 01:47:07 +0000 UTC; Views: 1305; Favourites: 15; Downloads: 40
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Description A simple looking (actually, anything but simple!) Sterling Silver wire wrapped bracelet and ring, with a knot thrown in!

A commissioned piece from someone at work (in retrospect, she got an excellent price!)
I've been making this style of ring for several years, but this is the 1st bracelet I've done like this.

Though they look very similar, but there is a BIG difference in the way they are made.
Believe it or not, the ring is fairly simple, but the knot on the bracelet was MUCH harder to make.

On the ring, the knot is actually the ends of the wires, and it's the same on the bracelet, for MOST of the strands, except for the 1 center wire.
That one strand had to be "tied": that is, looped upward, then under the back, back around to the front, then slipped through the first loop.
All this coordinated around the other four strands on each side, and done while trying to keep the wire straight as possible.
That was very tricky, but then I had to straighten out that one strand when I was done, so it was like the others.
If this was a strand of round wire, it would only be a matter of removing the kinks (again, a tough job itself!), but when you do something like this with square wire, it tends to twist slightly, so that doesn't match up the other square strands, and the edges of the square the to get nicked a lot.
That one strand took me over an hour!
Then I finished it off the same way I do the ring, treating the other four strands like the ends of the rings.

The reason for this is that the ring has tension to hold it all together.
But with the bracelet, there is an open clasp in the back, which is actualy held closed by the tension of the rest of the bracelet.
If I didn't have the 1 strand holding the rest together, I fear the bracelet would soon wiggle free at the knot.

I am actually going to make one with all 5 wires open, like the ring, for myself to wear, just to see if it does loosen, or if it stays secure.

This was actually the 2nd (and easier!) attempt, the first was Vortex Bracelet Silver at [link]

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All my wire-wrap jewelry (unless otherwise noted) is made from 14k Gold-filled or solid Sterling Silver wire, and is bent by hand, using only hand tolls like pliers, dowels, and cutters. I do not solder or glue except in -very- rare cases.

An average bracelet will take about 45 minutes, if that's all I'm concentrating on, but some may take several hours.
I do occasionally make custom pieces, but prefer to make my own original designs. Most pieces made in silver can also be made in gold, and vice versa.

Most are one of a kind, although several bracelets are popular enough that they are my "Signature Pieces".


To see what items may still be available in my ArtFire Gift Shop, please visit majortommy.artfire.com
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Comments: 13

Teal-Guillemot [2012-08-25 00:53:52 +0000 UTC]

NICE!!

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Paula-Rosa [2006-03-30 20:35:56 +0000 UTC]

Simply beautiful!

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MajorTommy In reply to Paula-Rosa [2006-03-31 04:57:26 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!!!!

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LinaLeah [2006-03-18 04:04:37 +0000 UTC]

Lovely, and you really should charge more for it. I tend not to use square wire (unless its twisted ) for those same reasons, you've described

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MajorTommy In reply to LinaLeah [2006-03-18 04:40:40 +0000 UTC]

For most things I wirewrap, the square doesn't interfere, in fact it usually helps...

I would have charged more fo it, but I already gave a price.

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LinaLeah In reply to MajorTommy [2006-03-18 15:31:39 +0000 UTC]

aaah, yes, a familiar quandry. I like using square for cages, becasue its easire to keep the wires in the bundles straight, as well as its easier to solder them onto a flat piee of metal. on the other hand, even the slightest twist shows, so I guess its case to case basis

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MajorTommy In reply to LinaLeah [2006-03-18 22:21:40 +0000 UTC]

That's about right!

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ArmouredRaven [2006-03-13 00:54:48 +0000 UTC]

Absolutely gorgeous, as usual!

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MajorTommy In reply to ArmouredRaven [2006-03-13 01:30:42 +0000 UTC]

Thank you...
Sam back atcha!

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Ellygator [2006-03-12 17:12:04 +0000 UTC]

Beautifully modern yet with a nice ancient feel, maybe Mesopotamian... This would look fabulous as a coronet (if one would wear such a thing on a daily basis...)

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MajorTommy In reply to Ellygator [2006-03-12 17:30:56 +0000 UTC]

You know... I might try that!

Good guess, but this is actually from the Major Tomasoan period.
Some nice jewelry was made in those days! ...

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lealea [2006-03-11 03:53:55 +0000 UTC]

I really like these tommy. I appreciate all you have written about the making and design etc...its very interesting.

I think you could charge more for your work if you wanted to.

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MajorTommy In reply to lealea [2006-03-12 01:08:29 +0000 UTC]

Thank you!
Sometimes I do tend to be a bit wordy...

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