Lesson 5: Simple Pin Stem

Lesson 5: Simple Pin Stem
• Cut 2 pieces of wire- one should be shorter than the other. Cut the wire longer than you think you will need.
• Measure, cut, and file flat one end of each wire.
• Using a third hand, hold wire onto back of brooch.
• Solder. (If using tubing, solder tubing on where the long wire should go. Solder wire into tubing after making taper.)
• Pickle
• File away any excess solder.
• Bend short wire around to form catch. Use the round/flat pliers
• File taper on long wire.
• Sand and polish taper.
• Bend long wire into position, and hammer the bend to harden.
• You can harden the pin stem further by putting the piece in the tumbler.

Pin back tips:
• When making your pin backs, use the hardest metal available- steel is hardest, and then nickel silver.
• Make sure to heat your base plate much more than the pin wires. They will heat up just fine without the torch pointing at them.
• Test your pin point out! A long taper (1/2”) is much smoother to use than a short taper.
• It is important that your pin be in proportion to the rest of your piece.
• The pin stem gets a lot of use- 18ga. wire is best. If the pin is very light, 20ga.