Monday, September 28, 2009

Fixing up the old

Sorry no pictures for this post, the camera isn't quite unpacked from the move yet, and the cell phone is so-so anyways for pictures.

Anyways, for today's blog entry never underestimate giving new life to an old piece. I have two necklaces that had been hanging around for awhile without being worn. The one I wasn't to fond of the clasp, and the string was also getting a bit to slack. So I ended up restringing it, using bead stringing wire (Beadalon to be more precise) and getting a nicer clasp out. I cut the clasp off on one side and threaded the wire through a handful of beads at a time then would pull the string out from that section. That way I didn't drop any beads, and they were lined up well to make threading the stringing wire easy. I also added an extender chain to have more flexibility with the length.

The other necklace was more of a quick repair job. I simply added a new jump ring onto it for the trigger clasp to hook onto. I usually like to use split rings instead of jump rings in conjunction with trigger/lobster clasps, but there was already a finding on this necklace for jump ring to hold onto easily. I've had string and thinner wire slip out from jump rings, which is why I like to use the split rings. Split rings look like mini key rings, and while you need special pliers to open them for other uses, they aren't needed to have a split ring at the end of a necklace/bracelet.