Jointed Mild-steel Necklace
![IMG_0284.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F00/XDT3/FD80C16J/F00XDT3FD80C16J.jpg&filename=IMG_0284.jpg)
![CIMG0049.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FM4/1FJW/FD80C16Q/FM41FJWFD80C16Q.jpg&filename=CIMG0049.JPG)
![CIMG0050.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FYU/HYQE/FD80C16P/FYUHYQEFD80C16P.jpg&filename=CIMG0050.JPG)
![CIMG0051.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FJF/DMSZ/FD80C16O/FJFDMSZFD80C16O.jpg&filename=CIMG0051.JPG)
![DSCF4822.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F97/ZLGW/FD80C16N/F97ZLGWFD80C16N.jpg&filename=DSCF4822.JPG)
![DSCF4828.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FM3/L2MZ/FD80C16M/FM3L2MZFD80C16M.jpg&filename=DSCF4828.JPG)
![IMG_0287.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F9J/XIAW/FD80C16I/F9JXIAWFD80C16I.jpg&filename=IMG_0287.jpg)
![IMG_0288.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F5Y/LR31/FD80C16H/F5YLR31FD80C16H.jpg&filename=IMG_0288.jpg)
![IMG_0289.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FOK/HCRN/FD80C16G/FOKHCRNFD80C16G.jpg&filename=IMG_0289.jpg)
This is a piece I made last spring at the Crucible's forge space in Oakland. It's a three- or four-piece jointed necklace, made from 3/8" round stock from the scrap bucket. Right now, I use steel jump-rings to connect the C-scroll back piece to each of the front S-scroll pieces, and the folded C-scroll clip holds the front two together. For a simpler look, I can just put a jump-ring or bit of wire to hold the front pieces together where their curves meet.
Process: As usual, I just rough-sketched the design and then started playing around with the pieces. If I make another, I'd start with smaller stock (since these were drawn down to less than 1/4" at their widest), do a more thorough design first, and mock up the 3D curves with wire. Also, it's a pretty impressive amount of trouble to shape very hot iron in complex curves that match one's own neck in a room with no mirror. I had to go through a lot of heat-and-quench cycles for this piece. With that and all the drawing and tapering, I broke one piece, and the clip has some serious cracks in it. A better model would help, as would time to properly anneal the pieces.
Finish: I cleaned off the scale and smoothed it with a grinding bit on a rotary tool. (Dremel + Flexshaft = awesome.) Since the piece is designed to be worn on the skin, I need to keep it from rusting. For the moment, it's been oiled & heated, and that seems to work well enough.
Process: As usual, I just rough-sketched the design and then started playing around with the pieces. If I make another, I'd start with smaller stock (since these were drawn down to less than 1/4" at their widest), do a more thorough design first, and mock up the 3D curves with wire. Also, it's a pretty impressive amount of trouble to shape very hot iron in complex curves that match one's own neck in a room with no mirror. I had to go through a lot of heat-and-quench cycles for this piece. With that and all the drawing and tapering, I broke one piece, and the clip has some serious cracks in it. A better model would help, as would time to properly anneal the pieces.
Finish: I cleaned off the scale and smoothed it with a grinding bit on a rotary tool. (Dremel + Flexshaft = awesome.) Since the piece is designed to be worn on the skin, I need to keep it from rusting. For the moment, it's been oiled & heated, and that seems to work well enough.