elk ivory bracelet

[eastslope]

Please let me know what you think. I know....it's just another bracelet, but thats what people around here ask for. Been fooling with this setting stuff starting yesterday so I am a bit new to it, and it's been many months since I played around with silver at all and I missed it. I screwed up a set of elk ivory earrings this morning that I need to get made by tomorrow. Shawn Didyoung showed us how to set an ivory a couple years ago at the Northern Boys Gather in Ten Sleep. Thanks Shawn. Anyway, I am happy to be back. Seth

 

[Roger Bleile]

Seth,

I personally don't care much for elk tooth jewelry (I guess it is too dental looking for me) but I understand its popularity out West. Nevertheless you did a very nice job of it. The flared ornament is well designed and cut.

Roger

BTW, what's the story with your avatar? Its about the weirdest thing I've ever seen.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Seth

I'll take a slightly different tack from Roger

Borders..............when you are designing something like that either on paper or drawing onto the work. Pay attention to your borders and draw it in if you have to. You don't have to cut them but they should be there because that is what frames your work. I noticed that you have run off the edge in a few places.

Would putting the elk tooth on the bracelet before bending create problems with them possibly stretching and breaking off???? I know nothing about jewellery fabrication and a bit curious about why it's done that way.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[eastslope]

Thanks Roger and Andrew. I do see the spots where I should have crowded the border more and spots where I should have backed off of it. I will pay better attention to that next time. Roger, my facebook avatar weirds people out also. Still, they are much better looking than a real photo of me... I just poked around the internet until I found a picture strange enough. Andrew, I also know nothing about jewelry fabrication and I will let you know how it goes. Now I am worried.

 

[Haraga.com]

I too would like to see how the bracelet bends. You may have to keep that part of the silver pretty straight.

 

[eastslope]

I was going to do the ivory portion on a separate piece of silver and incorporate a riveted on design, but then I figured I was over thinking it. I might have to put a name on the back so postponing bending until tomorrow.

 

[monk]

ah, pooey ! i like it. looks ok to me, as i don't look to the tiny details. i just like to look at the overall visual aspect.

 

[Douglas]

I like it, good job. The cowgirls will love it
I would be curious to know how the bending works out. I set a ivory 1 time before it was bent, it distorted the bezel, it never looked right after it was bent.

 

[jack]

I like the way you handled the engraving going all to the center. I have a lot of trouble with getting the graver around the settings. Bending will be a problem, because I have been there and have screwed some up. Jack

 

[Jane]

I always set the pieces after its bent as well. Hope it works okay!

I should word different, I build mountings and set the pieces after its bent...

 

[eastslope]

Jane, do you then engrave it last? It bent fine and turned out good, but I could see where this is a huge issue. It had a couple of straight spots where the mountings were. I was able to fan dangle it around and it looked pretty good, but next time I would defiantly approach this in a different manner. Chalk it up to inexperience. I really didn't have a clue what I was doing and got lucky I suppose. I will post some finished pictures tonight.

 

[eastslope]

Well, the bracelet turned out ok but had a couple of flat spots and you could see where the little balls pulled away from the bezel. Lesson learned (the hard way), but I didn't know any better at the time and I didn't do the research like I should have. The earrings turned out great despite the crummy picture. The last photo I took about a week ago from the back of a horse, which is the best way to take them. Have a good Christmas everyone!

 

[Jane]

Looks good Seth, I am glad it turned out okay for you. I learned the hard way as well the placement of these and size were definately on your side. I usually engrave, bend, make mountings/solder, and then darken the engraving. I can never get the brightness back once I have applied heat to solder the mountings on. I I am worried about getting solder in my cuts I leave the area around blank until its all but together and then finish the last bit of engraving. Of course the layout has to be designed so you can engrave around the mountings with no clearance trouble.
I made an elk ivory necklace a while back where the process was kind of back words I will try and post a picture of.
Your finished piece is very nice and the picture is beautiful!!!

 

[Jane]

The pictures aren't very good, but it gives you an idea of what I did....
On these, I basically bezel them and add whatever extra rope or whatever I want to them. Since this was was supposed to be engraved I engraved it first, then soldered my bezel together and added the rest of the pieces. I engraved it first since it makes such a tight wrap around the tooth. Usually the spot where I solder it together I leave blank and engrave last, that is what I did here. I didn't execute this one perfectly but it works.

 

[eastslope]

That's really cool Jane! Thanks for showing that. Do you run a pin through the tooth or epoxy it to help hold it in?

 

[Jane]

No problem Seth. I make these for a guy who makes antler furniture. He sells these pendants as well. Charlie wanted his engraved, so his is a little special. I usually am able to get them bezeled rather snug but I epoxy them to be safe. I haven't ever had to pin them although thats one way of doing it. Seems uneccesary if they stay without it (which they have so far and I have made a bunch!) I have made some really neat elk ivory bracelets as well but am not sure where the pictures are of them. Merry Christmas Seth!