The idea to learn silversmithing came to me as I did not want to use the predictable and common findings that are available through the likes of Rio Grande and Fire Mountain Gems. Not that they don't have a great selection but I really wanted to add a unique style and point of difference to my work. In particular, I wanted to be able to bezel set rings and pendants.
So off I went to Regal Castings and bought a basic silversmithing kit. The staff at Regal were super helpful and I really believed with my new tools and newfound knowledge and indeed, interest in silversmithing, I was on my way. Even with my tuition at Hungy Creek with the teacher guiding me step by step, I felt I had come to grips with it seemingly effortlessly albeit laboriously!
When I was on my own in my studio that was not quite the case unfortunately. It took quite some time to master sawing on my own bench (I think I went through 50 or so blades in the first few weeks), soldering (which everyone tells you is easy but certainly is not!), finishing and setting the glass.
Soldering in particular, requires practice, practice and more practice. You need to know which solder to use for which stage of the piece you are working on, you need to be able to recognise when the solder has flowed and the exact time to pull the flame away etc. Good eye sight is certainly a bonus but it comes down to practice and patience in the end!
Bezel setting also proved a big challenge. For a start, you can buy all the correct metal to do this job but you also need to make your glass cab the exact right height to fit your bezel! Then there is the issue of bulk and proportion, all of which are more difficult to achieve with handmade glass than stones which you can select for size and fit. I recently bought an interchangeable ring system which was such a breeze in comparison!
In any case, I feel I have got a really good understanding of silversmithing now some 12 months later and have sold quite a number of pieces lately which are "completely handmade" (quite satisfying really). The cost of precious metal is expensive, paticularly if you make a mistake which can't be fixed (like the time I tried "reticulation") and this cost has to be passed on to your customers if you want or indeed need to make money from your jewellery making.
My suggestion to new comers to silversmithing is practice first on scrap metal (like brass or copper) and move on to silver and gold only when you have perfected your techniques. No one will pay extra for your bad silversmithing, no matter how much effort you have put into it.
I also find that, since I make my own glass beads, there is only so much tolerance people have for paying even more with handmade silverwork included as well (the premium you need to charge for your additional time and cost of materials). Therefore, the complete piece has to be really special and unique, that's what I would say to any newbie silversmithers!
