Loop in Loop Chain Making Class, Post #8

Classmates are part of the class experience. The classmates I met over the years have ranged from highly competitive to very helpful and friendly. This was a friendly class, but with less interaction than in some classes. I think it is due to the concentration factor of our subject matter which was discussed in post #6.

This is one of the few in-class photos I took and it was not posed. Monique was sitting across from me and she was trying to get a few links done quickly to finish her neckace. She chose to work on her book to get done fast. Usually, we work on a solid color surface. I thought it would make a great photo and quickly asked permission before taking the "action" shot. We immediately got back to work. Monique later gave permission to post the photos here.

The Classical Loop in Loop book starts out with a bit of history about these types of ancient chains, "The loop-in-loop was the predominant chain type used for gold and silver jewelry from the early Bronze Age in Middle East, through the Classical period until the end of the Middle Ages." The Classical Loop in Loop book can be found at Amazon.com. If you have not explored Amazon in a few years, you need to do so. You can literally browse the pages inside of most books, including this book. Just go to this link and "Click to look inside".

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which I receive a few cents if you make purchases.

Loop in Loop Chain Making Class, Post #7

My original intention at the beginning of this blog was to convey the experience of taking a class as an adult. I expected the content of the class to be secondary in importance. As the weeks and writing unfolded, my own interest in the class content naturally increased and it was reflected in the writing. So, my apologies to the reader who was hoping for a step by step explanation or video on how to assemble loop in loop chain. This was not in my original blog plan. However, a video will be in the future plan after the class project is finished because my search of the internet shows a limited amount of available information.

So, I will speak to both the class experience and the content as best as possible. We were in the middle of the short summer semester before realizing it and the weeks were passing quickly. It seems obvious, but it must be stated: it is imperative to keep up with the assignments and not let time slip by. Even if you think you are on top of all the assignments, do a bit more! I swear the time leading up to a deadline accelerates and problems multiply.

This picture shows a loop-in-loop chain being made. There are many types of loop-in-loop chains. The chain pictured is called a one-way double. ‘One-way’ means the links are all added in one direction and ‘double’ means the new addition link goes through two links in the chain. The fabricated components at different stages are shown in the same photo.
1. The round ring of 20 gauge fine or pure silver is fused to itself by heating with a torch.
2. The ring is then stretched with needle-nose pliers to form the oblong shape.
3. Then the center is closed or pinched with pliers and one end is narrowed to allow insertion into the chain.
4. The center large radius bend is slightly initiated.
5. At this stage, the links will need to be annealed before assembly into the chain.
6. The new link is inserted into the openings of the previous two links when making the ‘double’ chain.
7. After insertion into the chain the new link will be bent with a large radius at the center of the loop.
8. The metal probe or scribe tool is used to open up the added link, especially the narrowed end.
9. Periodically, the chain may be annealed to prevent breakage and keep flexibility.

Loop in Loop Chain Making Class #6 Post

Ancient Chainmaking Loop-in-Loop Class

Tah Dah!
Here are the samples of sailors’ knot or pinched loop chain(left) and single loop-in-loop chain (earrings on right). The class is working on the next set of samples, considering which type of chain to select for their projects, and some are reading ahead in the book. One student ordered her silver wire from out of town and is still waiting.

The silver ring fusing is very sensitive to variables of the flame, the physics of the ring, my personal concentration and torch skills, and of the environment. Flame variables are somewhat controllable. The torch tip needs to be uhmm… perfect. Fortunately, we are in a studio with multiple tips so if one isn’t right we can grab another one. The gas pressure is a factor and it changes as you work. The knob on the torch can be so sensitive that it moves as you work. The charcoal block heats up and this changes the response time of the silver. My vision needs augmentation to see the little opening in the ring that I am attempting to fuse together.

Watching the flame and the opening takes concentration and with other students moving about and moving things while making unexpected noise breaks the concentration. I need to focus on that one ring and nothing else. I found it most interesting that the probability of making a bad fuse is much higher if I am thinking about things that happened at work earlier in the day or things that I need to do after I leave the studio. Concentration is key because these variables make each ring fuse differently and the flame must be removed immediately upon fusing.

Taking a Class # 5

Taking a Class #5; Second Session

I and one other student arrive just at 6:30 pm for the 2nd class session. It looks like the others have been there for up to one hour and they are now busy at work. I stopped by the craft store looking for a better cutting implement, but without success.

The link stretching, pinching, folding, and weaving demonstration begins right away and I affirm to myself that this is a fun class. We will make the single loop-in-loop chain with the 5/16th inch size rings. This is the simplest to make and is also one that looks very open weave. The fine silver rings are fused, stretched, pinched into a bowtie shape, and folded at the bowtie middle. We now have the shape of a tulip flower that hasn’t bloomed yet. Then with some adept manipulation, one is woven into the next and so on. No photos of the single loop-in-loop chain yet, but if you can't wait then click on the first post of this blog to look at the photo of the Loop-in-Loop Ancient Chain book. It is the only silver chain on the front of the book.

The next chain is ‘pinched loop-in-loop’ or the sailor’s chain and uses the larger 7/16” diameter ring. The same manipulation steps are made up to the bowtie pinch, but then two scribes are needed and needle-nose pliers and well it is just too complicated to describe with words. Pictures and video are needed to communicate the technique.

 At this point, all I have to share are photos of components at various stages and of the finished chain. The photo above is 22 gauge fine silver wound over a 7/16" steel mandrel. This is before the rings are cut. The photo to the immediate left shows the tools used and (counterclockwise) components of cut and fused rings, stretched and pinched bowties, folded and double-pinched step shown in upper right of photo. The photo below shows components at all steps including the finished chain.

Taking a Class # 4

Annealing wire

Taking a Class #4; First Homework

The first assignment doesn’t sound difficult until you consider the quality of your work. The quantity seems very reasonable. Fuse 20 rings of 5/16” diameter and 10 rings of 7/16” diameter. The fusing is the tricky step and the reason I am taking this class. The first rings I cut with scissors and used a 00 torch tip which is the smallest. This took a very long time to heat up to fusing. So, I used a larger, 0 torch tip, on the second batch of rings. This seemed to heat up too fast, so I adjusted the flame. I may have 10 good rings to show for class or one half the required amount. I am not certain if a rough surface in the fuse area is considered good or bad. If rough is bad, then I am way off my target of 20 rings in the 5/16th inch size. I made about 20 rings of the 7/16” size and may have 10 passable rings, but again that depends on the judgement criteria.

The workshop hours available to me were Thursday evening and Saturday afternoon. I still did not have the 22 gauge silver wire by Thursday afternoon. The two supply stores in town had received it, but I would have had to leave work to get it. The wire and the workshop would have to wait until Saturday. I made a phone call to have the wire held for me. Otherwise, it would have been sold out by Saturday. I went out to eat with a friend on Thursday evening and tried to relax. The final class supplies tally for the week was another $40 spend on small tools and silver wire.

We have to anneal the wire before and after it is wound. Annealing softens the metal so it can be worked again. This is done by heating. We are working with very thin, 22 gauge, pure silver wire, so being able to tell when the silver has reached the annealed point is crucial. We usually turn down the lights to see if the glow is retained by the metal when the flame is removed. I can’t share our class with you but I found a video by ArtJewelry magazine showing the annealing of sterling silver sheet. It is a similar process. It is free to register to see the videos. Actually, ArtJewelry magazine has just produced a series of how-to metalworking videos and a blog about how the videos were made. The blog is very interesting and no registration is needed to read it. You can get to the video links from the blog link here:

http://cs.artjewelrymag.com/artcs/blogs/artjewelry/2009/05/01/video.aspx