NEXT STEP ADVANCED SILVER FORGING TECHNIQUES

"Next Step Advanced" techniques of Forging sterling silver wires into interesting and dynamic shapes. Learn how to "Reverse Plain" sterling silver wires to add that 3-D look that will make Designer Craftsman Jewelry stand out from all the rest.

[@Chancethecatthatcan]

I know these videos are old but I have learned so many good techniques from them! You were born to teach

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Mia, I am very happy that you are learning from my videos. Thank you for your kind comment. Keep watching. Greg Greenwood

[@charity2727]

You are my preferred teacher

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Charity, Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Greg Greenwood

[@teristeinborn4872]

I’ve watched pretty much all of your videos I believe and I love the way you teach. You walk through each and every step as you explain why it makes sense. I’ve learned so much that I haven’t known before. This video as well as all of your other videos makes me wish my tv was in my shop! I am always so psyched to jump up and start another project just to try the techniques that I just learned! You are truly gifted. Thank you so very much for sharing your talent, knowledge and your passion with all of us out here who thought we knew it all! You’re amazing!

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Teri, Thank you very much for your kind comments. I really appreciate it. I am happy that you have learned from my videos. Keep watching and don't forget to subscribe. Thanks again. Greg Greenwood

[@furiousjesus6887]

Your work is beautiful! I found your soldering tutorial when I was having a terrible time trying to butt solder a wire for a bracelet and subscribed immediately. Thank you.

[@greggreenwood4628]

Thank you for the great comments. And thanks for subscribing too!!! Greg

[@shokoufehtaghi2395]

Thank you so very much for your excellent teaching.

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Shokoufeh, You are very welcome. Thank you for watching. I appreciate it. Greg Greenwood

[@allanthompson9695]

Your hammer control is mesmerizing. Thanks Greg.

[@greggreenwood4628]

Thanks Allan, I appreciate it. Remember... practice, practice, practice. Greg Greenwood

[@SteeltheGodsandFate]

Your videos are well produced and your work making them is appreciated. I respect your measured and excellent response to the commenter who didn't bother to Google forging jewelry before issuing demands to you based on their limited knowledge.

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Tasker10, Thank you for your comments. Greg Greenwood

[@rbrown2895]

Thanks again!!!

[@greggreenwood4628]

Anytime. Greg Greenwood

[@alicerosa6766]

Wow Mr. Greenwood, I always learn something new from you. This is a beautiful technique. I've always do textures like you said, just "flat"😄. Now I will give it a try using different curves which I love them, specially that beautiful necklace 😍. Thank you so much, and as always, your are an amazing Teacher and I admire you. I will wait for your next video🙏👍.

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Alice, thank you for your comments. I appreciate them. And I love beautiful curves in metal too!! Thank you for watching. Greg Greenwood

[@1ballistica]

Hello, sir! Thank you so much for this helpful video. Best wishes from Amsterdam, the Netherlands

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Refke, I am glad the forging video was helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to let me know. Enjoy forging!! Greg Greenwood.

[@kimpetri6750]

Your work is very beautiful! I love this video! Will keep watching & learning.Thank you 💚

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Kim, Thank you very much. I'm glad you love the video and are learning. If you have any questions, please let me know. Good Luck Greg Greenwood

[@jorsct]

This was a great refresher for me! I need to make a forged ring this week, but I haven't been able to work on jewelry since college. Now that I have a studio space, getting a thorough overview was really helpful!

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hi jpd, I am very happy that my video helped you. Good luck on your forged ring and it is great to have a studio space! If you have any questions about setting up a studio or any other techniques, feel free to ask me. I am going to be doing many more jewelry and metal smithing tutorials so make sure your subscribe and ring the bell for notifications when they come on line. Thanks again for the comment. Best wishes to you. Greg Greenwood

[@forrestkarter526]

You prolly dont care at all but does anyone know a trick to log back into an instagram account?? I somehow forgot my login password. I would appreciate any tips you can offer me.

[@leonardoahmir8045]

@Forrest Karter instablaster :)

[@forrestkarter526]

@Leonardo Ahmir Thanks so much for your reply. I found the site thru google and im trying it out atm. Takes a while so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@forrestkarter526]

@Leonardo Ahmir it did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. Im so happy:D Thanks so much, you saved my account :D

[@haroldstevensjr.8201]

Appreciate the tips!

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Harold, You are more than welcome. Thank you for watching. Greg Greenwood

[@donobototron]

It was nice to learn about all the different hammers and their uses. Also, the railway tie. We like repurposing, recycling and making tools too. So that railway tie may be something we'll try and track down. Thanks Greg.

[@greggreenwood4628]

Have fun "tracking" it down. Greg Greenwood

[@guytiips3906]

Wow help me a lot...!! Thank​ you

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Guy, You are most welcome. I appreciate it. Greg Greenwood

[@JeniGray]

Wow, what fun!

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Jeni, Yes it is! Enjoy. Greg Greenwood

[@terryalban6523]

I'm really enjoying all of your tips, tricks, lessons, etc... So nice to learn from somebody so knowledgeable and talented. Thank you for all your time, teaching, and videos. Have you done, or if not, would you consider showing us how to polish a piece of recycled railroad track to a mirror finish?? I was lucky to have found a couple pieces of track in a local second hand shop, but haven't yet found any tutorials on how to create a finish such as yours. Thanks again, you have a devoted student here!

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Terry, Glad you were able to find some track. I don't have a video on the subject, but here are a few pointers. Start with a good metal file. Get a new one at the hardware store. They are not expensive. File the entire surface until no pits. Then take an orbital sander or power sander with about 80 grit. Work your way down to fine grit. This will give you a nice finish. Get the finest wet / dry paper and finish sanding with it. For the mirror finish, you will need a muslin/cotton polishing wheel. If you have a polishing machine for your jewelry, then use it. If not, get the muslin wheel and put on a nut and bolt and insert into an electric drill. Check with your hardware for the muslin wheel and some polishing compound for steel. Check in the auto repair section. Use the compound on the muslin wheel and polish in different directions. Then polish, polish, polish... I hope this helps you. It will take a little time, but it is very satisfying when you are done. Good Luck and let me know how it goes. Greg Greenwood

[@emilycarmany8600]

Super! Thank you

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Emily, Thank you too! Greg Greenwood

[@beautybeyond5037]

Thank you for great details 😊 showing us how to make 1 wire look like several with just the hit of a hammer. So cool!

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Beauty Beyond 50, You are so welcome! Forging is a lot of fun! Thanks for watching and commenting. Greg Greenwood

[@LayneStaley-en-Martin]

Nice work! Thank you for making these tutorials, much appreciated.

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Bowerbird, Glad you like them! Absolutely my pleasure. Greg Greenwood

[@Art-xt7sr]

Beautiful!

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Art Filled Soul, Thank you, you are very kind. Greg Greenwood

[@juegoart4414]

I'm REALLY enjoying your channel 🙌

[@greggreenwood4628]

Awesome!!!! Greg

[@shokoufehtaghi2395]

Thank you so much. I always learn something new from you.

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Shokofeh, You are so welcome! I am very happy to hear your are learning!! Thank you for watching. Greg Greenwood

[@deelynn8158]

Awesome Videos!

[@greggreenwood4628]

Thank you Dee, I appreciate your comment. If you have any questions, please feel free to let me know. Thanks Again Greg Greenwood

[@patriciakendall6494]

What a great video! Thank you ❤️

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Patricia, You are so welcome! Have fun. Greg Greenwood

[@lucygamble614]

I'm really enjoying your videos! So informative and detailed. I trained as a silversmith years ago but I'm really rusty and I've lost my confidence but hopefully you can help me to try and regain some confidence again. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. :-)

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Lucy, I am VERY excited about you getting back into silversmithing!! Remember that great feeling when you forged a wire and it actually went the direction that you wanted it to? And when you soldered two pieces of silver together and the solder flowed smooth and made a perfect solder joint? You are going to get back to those wonderful feelings VERY SOON. You are going to brush off the rusty feeling and dive into your projects with great confidence. BECAUSE, you have done it before and you will do it again. Keep watching and please feel free to ask any questions as you go forward. I am here to help! Best to you. Greg Greenwood

[@lucygamble614]

Thank you for your lovely response and words of encouragement Greg! Much appreciated - and thank you for the offer of help if needed. Very kind. Best wishes from the U.K. :-)

[@greggreenwood4628]

You are more than welcome. Greg Greenwood

[@margeroark4507]

Hi Greg, great video, thank you for anealing silver under normal light, that is extremely helpful. Can you tell me if you quench after annealing? I have an ongoing discussion with my son who is a welder who says quenching will harden the metal after annealing so the metal must be left to air cool. Can you settle the dispute?

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Marge, Your son is 100% correct that steel will harden when quenched. Different steels and different quenching liquids (oils / water) will harden differently. Sterling Silver will react differently. After soldering or annealing sterling silver if it is quenched too hot, the metal will crack or split. The quenching process with silver does not harden the metal. I usually let the metal cool slightly so it does not spatter pickle out of the crock, but it can be pickled cool also. I hope this helped. You are both correct. Thanks for the question. Greg Greenwood

[@danilodedonatis7513]

Amazing video..I hope u doing much more video!!

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Danilo, Thank you for your comments. Check out my channel for more videos. Thank you for watching. Greg Greenwood

[@silvercreekdesign]

Where did you get your cross-flat pien hammer? They aren’t easy to find! Your videos are great~thank you!

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Leslie, I got mine 45 years ago! Oh my gosh, is it that old?! I have seen them in hardware stores. Rio Grande Jewelry Supply has a good supply of hammers. The Fretz brand of hammers are good and not too expensive. Check them out and let me know how it goes. Thanks for your question. Greg Greenwood

[@MrsLeguyader]

Great video.

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Susan, Glad you enjoyed it. If you have any questions in the future, please feel free to let me know. Greg Greenwood

[@MrsLeguyader]

@@greggreenwood4628 I certainly will. I’m really interested in the forging , so you might hear from me. Thank you for so generously sharing your knowledge and skill.

[@greggreenwood4628]

You are very welcome. Forging is so much fun. You will use it all the time!!! Looking forward to hearing from you. Greg Greenwood

[@alexandrevlaemynck9432]

hi, thank you ;)

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Alexandre, My pleasure! Greg Greenwood

[@alexandrevlaemynck9432]

@@greggreenwood4628 hi, alexander is good too ;) i'm french man ;) thank you for your teaching videos, they are very interesting and easy to understand ;) I hope my english writting is correct :)

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Alexander, Your english is very good. Thank you for your kind comments. I appreciate it. Keep watching. Greg Greenwood

[@alexandrevlaemynck9432]

@@greggreenwood4628 Hi, of course, you are my new "master", thank you too :)

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Alexander, I am glad to help. Greg Greenwood

[@deelynn8158]

Hi Greg, I'm very interesting in trying you pickling solution. What is your recipe for the solution? I have both vinegar and citric acid but need the ratios you suggest. Also, the ratio for the baking soda and water would be awesome. I like the thought of a safer solution!

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Dee, Nice to hear you are thinking safe. The pickling solution does not need to be exact. Approx. 2 cups vinegar and 4 tablespoons of citric acid. The baking soda solution can be 1 quart water to 4-6 tablespoons of baking soda. Then rinse in plain water. Hope this helps. Greg Greenwood (I'll answer your other comment a little later) Thanks Greg

[@deelynn8158]

Thanks Greg, I look forward to hearing from you on my other questions.

[@teristeinborn4872]

Of course, I can alt watch you on my laptop! Hummm… I suppose I must be a bit slow… lol!

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Teri, For sure. 👌 Greg Greenwood

[@johngates8212]

Excuse me teacher, I need to bring my hammers to a mirror polish again And I'm also in the process of making my own bench anvil I'm a welder by trade and large thick squares of steel are easily available but they have the mill scale on it. What is your preferred method? I'm currently rubbing it on a piece of 40 grit sandpaper and it's taking forever although it is making it true flat

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello John, Unfortunately there is no real fast ways. For the bench block, I work down to a fine grit emery. I do use a orbital sander, this makes it go faster. Then I polish with stainless steel polishing compound. You can use the polishing compound on the hammers on a fast polishing muslin wheel. Throw a little oil or petroleum jelly on the hammers when they are sitting around. Helps with rust. Good Luck. Greg Greenwood

[@indirasolanki6333]

What is your proportion of vinegar to citric acid? TIA. Love your videos always helpful. Thanks again.

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Indira, You can use vinegar and citric acid separately. They are both acids and will work independently. You can add salt to the vinegar also. Good ratio is: 100 grams of salt to 300 ml of vinegar. You can work on the ratios and decide what is best for your work. Thanks for your question. Greg Greenwood

[@Robertnight888]

Can you help…..when I have a flat object assayed in the U.K. the bang of the assay punches gives raised bumps in the other side of the surface,. What is the best way to remove the punch bumps other than sanding ?

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Robert, Yes, that can be a problem. If it is a flat sheet, then you could put through a rolling mill. But that could give you other problems. I feel the most direct method would be to place on a good bench block and planish from the back with a planishing hammer very lightly. This will smooth the back raised bumps. Then give it a little polish with a polishing wheel (Mop), and some polishing compound. I hope this helps you. If you have any questions in the future, let me know. Good Luck and thanks for watching. Greg Greenwood

[@redeyestones3738]

I look forward to watching this video after work. Just so I can find out why you say not to hammer silver flat. Because you said to hammer it flat in another video

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Red Eye Stones, I am talking about hammering the metal wires flat without a "reverse" in the plain of the wire. I have left you another comment about soldering. Please take a look at it also. Greg Greenwood

[@sethchapman8001]

Your hammers and anvil (RR tie) are so nicely mirror polished! I would like to know what brand hammers you are using, and where to get them? Trying to slowly swap out my cheap hammers with some nice ones but not so sure where to find them.

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Seth, Most of my hammers were purchased about 40 years ago! The suppliers are not in business now. But. Rio Grande Jewelry Supply is an excellent dealer for hammers and tools. I have bought some new ones from them and are very happy with the quality. You can Goggle for anvils, they are readily available I'm sure in your area. Try not to pay shipping on anvils!! Hope this helps you. Greg Greenwood.

[@sethchapman8001]

@@greggreenwood4628 thanks! I had a feeling the hammers might be a bit older. I will look into Riogrande. I have ordered metal from them but haven't looked through the tools.

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Seth, I am sure you will find the hammers that will work for you. Good Luck. Greg Greenwood

[@OldManandtheSuperC]

You can use progressively finer grit sandpaper, emery cloth and polishing compounds. I use 3M polishing discs, both a 6” gray fine or a Foredom sized disc. Just make sure you keep the ones you use on steel separate so you don’t contaminate your silver. Great for restoring and maintaining all your hammers, blocks, etc.

[@greggreenwood4628]

Brent F. You are exactly correct. I have restored many hammers and stakes using this technique. Thanks Greg Greenwood

[@yuliar.scholes5984]

What is the name of this plier to bend it? Thank you

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Yuliar, You can use chain nose or round nose pliers. Thank you for watching. Greg Greenwood

[@davidussery9860]

I love your what is the liver stuff you're talking about what kind is it I've looked it up online and all I see is a bunch of health pills

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello David, You can find "Liver of Sulfur" at Rio Grande Jewelry Supply. Thank you for asking. Greg Greenwood

[@DianneCulbertsonJacques]

Hey Greg, I'm trying to figure out how to make twigs/branches out of silver wire. Any tips? I can't find any books/videos for that.

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Dianne, Homework time for you!! Go out and find some small twigs. Look at them closely. Notice the textures ? To make twigs and branches with wire, you must use textured wires. Now, how to texture your wires to make them look more natural? This is the fun part. Start by taking some wire placing it on the sidewalk and hammer on it with a rawhide mallet. This will give a really interesting texture that will look natural and not man-made. Also, check out my video "12 Free Hidden Jewelry Tools and Textures" . This will give you some ideas for interesting textures that you can use on the twigs. The side walk texture is only the beginning. Hundreds of textures and hundreds of different barks on twigs. Use your imagination! Now that you have the textures, notice how the twigs are constructed. Do they have enlarged areas where the branches split apart? To the branches taper to a point? You can use forging techniques and filing to achieve these looks. Don't worry, your first attempts may not look "perfect" but you will learn what works best for you. If you are looking for how to make leaves, then check out my video "Foldforming Part 3". I show how to make leaves using sheet metal and foldforming processes. It could be an addition to your twigs and branches. I hope this has given you some ideas. Thanks for your questions. Let me know how it goes. Greg Greenwood

[@DianneCulbertsonJacques]

@@greggreenwood4628 Thank you, and I always did my homework so this will be fun! For my intro into metal I had Charles Lewton Brain's book, some copper and a hammer. I bought a vice and a torch and went to town!

[@greggreenwood4628]

Awesome! Greg Greenwood

[@whywouldicare8618]

Now where did you get the pumice rocks

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello KHR, Rio Grande Jewelry Supply has them. They also have annealing pans. Hope this helps you. Thanks Greg Greenwood

[@BurninGems]

Is there a book or source that covers the various names of the different shapes in forging silver (reversed plain, double reversed, etc.. Etc..)

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello BurninGems, I'm sorry but I'm not aware of a book with the examples in it. Maybe I should write one! If you have any questions on forging, just let me know. Thanks Greg Greenwood

[@user-fb9of7gt2y]

l

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Man, OK Greg Greenwood

[@Smashhoke]

"Forging" requires the use of a "Forge".

[@greggreenwood4628]

Hello Nomad Life, Thank you for your comments. You are correct that forging requires a forge to get the metal hot enough to work, bend, shape, or form. This is normally used with ferrous metals (containing iron) and is called "hot forging". When using non-ferrous metals, the metal does not need to be worked at a high temperature. The metal is annealed ( heated to a dull cherry red color) either with a torch or sometimes a forge , then cooled. The non-ferrous metals are soft at this stage and can then be worked, bent, shaped, or formed using hammers. This is typically called "cold forging". Thanks again. Greg Greenwood