[Casey.R]

I've just learned wire wrapping and have been using sterling which is pretty easy to bend. I'd like to try uusing 14k wire but I'm wondering if it's difficult to use because the alloys make it hard. Does anyone here use it?
Anything I should know?
Thanks.

[Slraep]

Hi Casey R.,

You need to anneal the wire, then it gets soft enought to work with.

Slraep

[knotty panda]

Casey: Have you found a supplier for the wire or are you just curious at this point? Wires come in different tempers based on their alloys. Check on the various tempers available from your supplier.

[Slraep]

If you don't have a torch and can't anneal, bought wire comes in three types---soft, half hard and hard. Half hard is the most popular for wirework.

Slraep

[Casey.R]

Thanks. Well I don't have a torch. I haven't found any place here in the city that sells gold wire just sterling. I guess I'll have to look online. Know any good places?

[Casey.R]

I did a metal arts course ages ago so I've worked with sterling metal making bezels and things but it was 10 years ago and I didn't work with gold wire, so this is very different. I had no idea gold wire had to be heated in order to work with.
Interesting.

[Slraep]

Rio Grande sells all types of wire in different degrees of hardness.

Slraep

[Casey.R]

Thanks.
My local bead store mentioned the same web site but it's wholesale only isn't it?
I'll look again.

[DFrey]

Hi Casey,
There should be some company locally that will sell you gold wire. Check some of the jewelry supply places locally as they will sometimes sell small quantities of gold and silver. Check Fire Mountain as they don't seem to care if you have a resale license or not.

All metal work hardens as it is bent, shaped ,made thinner etc. irregardless of if it is silver or gold, platinum, copper, steel or whatever metal. Silver will always be softer and easier to bend and shape than 14k gold both in its fully annealed state ( the softest state) and when it is fully work hardened.

Gold and silver have a memory which means that if you try to move it (bend etc.) it always wants to go back to where it was before you tried to shape it. It is springing is another way to say it, it always wants to spring back to its original shape, and more so if it is work hardened.

Personally I like to use dead soft(fully annealed) 14k wire if I am trying to wrap something. I'm not a wire rapper though, just a goldsmith.
DFrey

[knotty panda]

14KT wire is sort of a specialty among beaders. I don't know of any bead stores which carry it nor does FireMountain. Most bead stores carry gold-filled which is much less expensive and I've always been pleased with it. If I really want 14KT, I'm a member of a buying group who purchases in quantity from Hagstoz to get a price break. It's not an instant gratification way to purchase wire as the wait is rather extensive because it is a group, but you can't beat the pricing.

Rio Grande isn't just wholesale. Local bead stores don't normally carry it nor does FireMountain. 14KT doesn't wrap the same way silver does and is a rather expensive learning tool. Try 14KT rolled gold which is less costly and readily available locally.