Hand Crafting Viking Jewellery: Making an Arm Ring from Birka

See the master craftsman & archaeologist, Jim Glazzard, skilfully recreate a replica of a Viking Arm Ring found in Birka, Sweden.
If you are interested in learning more about this item, head over to our website to read about its origins and distinctive design.
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[@dr.lexwinter8604]

For the people in the comments confusing the processes. *Annealing* is the process of softening a material to obtain desired chemical properties by heating the metal to critical then cooling to room temperature very slowly in an oven. The purpose is to _soften metals for malleability and working._ When annealing for a clean finish (such as jewelry) flux must be used and firescale pickled off to prevent build up. *Hardening (or quenching)* is the process of increasing the hardness of a material. The metal is heated to an austenitic crystal phase then quickly cooled by quenching in a liquid. The purpose is to harden a piece _to take an edge_ or when finished working it. *Tempering* is the process of heating to a temp below critical, holding in an oven, then cooling. The purpose is to normalize the material and _reduce it's brittleness._

[@Tom-Lahaye]

Nice work, the use of tools more commonly found at an iron forge instead of modern fine goldsmith tools tells the size and nature of this era's jewelry, and more in line with what silver smiths would have used then. Only exception is the gas torch, it is just more convenient not needing fire up time, neither a place in a shed or outdoors as you can use a gas torch indoors as long as there is proper ventilation.

[@archievthapa3593]

So beautiful !!!

[@TwoRavensMinis]

Very nice! And love the music. Warm regards from a Viking brother in Denmark 👍🇩🇰

[@juliew1426]

So cool! This takes not only artistry and skill, but some major muscle...and good strong tools.

[@lancemillward2462]

Where have you been all my life. Subscribed

[@kyote0683]

Absolutely love your work. Thank you for sharing. Love the music!

[@austinshoffman4651]

These videos are fantastic. I've been getting into crafting and I want to make torcs. The videos you are great for learning how to do it

[@tonyasylum32182]

Absolutely beautiful bracelet and I want one !!!!

[@thorvalar]

That was awesome. Nice work.

[@mylittlebroandme4630]

Wow! More tutorials plz love it!

[@diannewilson4049]

beautiful music. completely captivated watching you work

[@mawi1172]

🥴🥴🥴🙄🙄🙄🙄 if you're a Viking, I guess.

[@behrjudysson6159]

Truly a wonderful piece.

[@mawi1172]

Good thing you cleaned it up!

[@In_The_80s]

Your work is beautiful and outstanding! Job well done, skàl!

[@jennyrebelein3617]

Beautiful work!

[@toki_-_wartooth]

absolutely stunning!!! amazing craftsmanship

[@juniordutra522]

Um grande profissional parabéns

[@lolipop15972]

this is a very beutyful work, thank you for sharing

[@ravenblakk8403]

Very beautiful.

[@treewolfreenactment6713]

That was so cool to watch!

[@doodlenoob2423]

Beautiful 🥹

[@TheArtist8077]

Pleasure to watch, brilliant...

[@pameladawn1654]

Amazing! Its beautiful!

[@bernadetteadkins4904]

Awesome! Thank you for this video!

[@recaplord285]

Best norse craftsman in KZbin 🙌

[@satevari_forge]

Nice! I would like to see more!

[@kevoa4941]

Thank you for showing this

[@asgard9974]

Thank you for watching!

[@mariabelenmartin1738]

Wow,looks great 😲

[@jeffreybodkin1777]

Nice work ! Great video

[@shaunhall960]

When I grow up I want to be a Viking.

[@reneemills-mistretta790]

And again, gorgeous! Thank you for sharing! Florida USA 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@dr.lexwinter8604]

Ugh. Phoneposters.

[@mkivy]

Wow! What a magnificent effort! This is beautiful and what a gr8 job....that was a lot of silver and ppl do not know what effort it takes to do this. I make chainmail jewelry but not in gauges U are using...plus I do not have the tools for such. I kudos to ur work, understanding and reflection of the Norse world. Thank u sir and may the gods of Valhalla look favorable on you. Thor working his art with ur hammer! Tell Loki to well u know...and be kind. To Odin and beyond.

[@antsquirly7654]

I am impressed. That is a LOT of silver you used there and I can fully understand why annealing so much was needed. - Just went to your website and could not find anything like this one.

[@kurtsbeningtons8943]

Before I finished watching this video I thought the subscriber count was 1000x more than it is now. Amazing quality video and it's very detailed (for me at least), definitely subscribing and sharing this vid with my friends.

[@asgard9974]

Thanks Friedhelm! If you like this then you might be interested in checking out our blog! We are also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as Asgard Scotland. www.asgard.scot/blog

[@kenwalker7160]

really nice

[@djm299]

I have one of their pieces and it's beautiful and sturdy..

[@RedRedux]

His lack of tool marks on the final product is amazing

[@sulimandc3467]

Yeah

[@Merojewelleryworkshop]

Cmac yes

[@shelterskelter]

Your kidding right? The wire itself had the striations from being drawn through a badly scarred up draw plate and the ends soldered are so marred the surface isnt close to clean. Using wood certainly helps but delrin and proper annealing techniques will mean far less surface marring from manipulation.

[@kathybradbury]

Although there is some marking (as the naysayers pointed out) I believe the point here was to faithfully copy an ancient art. Any scars become a part of the character of the piece.

[@hashnotall6263]

Wait, when do you ever see tool marks on jewelry?

[@Merojewelleryworkshop]

Nice work

[@laurah1020]

Wwhat guage were the silver rods you started with, and like @Austin Wheeler, I am curious about how you polished the piece...? Amazing work! Thanks for sharing!

[@steffen9696]

More Videos please! =D

[@AKAxeMan]

I plan on getting some tools and trying this with copper.

[@patrickhance7211]

Respect.....pat

[@vladimirkovacevic1656]

awesome

[@hashnotall6263]

Judging from those hammer marks those calipers are for looks.

[@bubgum0079]

What a beautiful piece of art. How much does one of these cost and where can a person buy one?

[@carloslaerte3272]

Gostei,muito bacana,tenho vontade de aprender a fazer jóias em prata. Você faz anel estilo biker Chopper!?

[@parveenjohal5009]

Great 👍

[@dylanupdyke2745]

Sold and subscribed! I want one! Just like that but the ends in like a small ball and open for adjustment. Is that possible?

[@petersmedley459]

That’s fabulous, I know that even just tapering the rods takes some time and effort! Working out how long they need to be before twisting is a mind bender... Have you done any with the decorative twisted accent wire running through?

[@Merojewelleryworkshop]

Peter Smedley yes

[@gonzalofuenzalida9988]

Nice work, how much weight does it have?

[@smyslych]

Master of Viking! (Y)

[@etdonc5363]

magnifique objet. at what place can I catch one ?

[@cquiles386]

What gauge wire did you use?

[@kingofnuclearfallout39]

Question what gauge is that silver wire?

[@mariusr.9606]

Nice vid mate. But i have a question. How do you calculate the length of the single rods?

[@MrMakto]

I second this question.

[@skexone]

Do you start with full-hard wire?

[@reneemills-mistretta790]

Are you using half hard or all soft wire?

[@mauler5858]

Loved this video, and the music is great. One question please. What gauge are your individual wire strands?

[@asgard9974]

this was a bespoke item so sadly i do not have it to measure and our craftsman is on annual leave. he will return next week and i will quiz him then for you.

[@mauler5858]

@@asgard9974 Okay, thank you for the reply and I look forward to hearing back about it.

[@mauler5858]

Hi again. Just wondering if you found this out?

[@skexone]

My guess would be about 8/6ga, but I'm a beginner so I don't know for sure

[@RealSavaga]

More Videos please!!!!!! Я вам ору!!!! ))))

[@karel6404]

Howcome the soldered joint doesn't fall apart when hammered? I thought that was only possible with welding. Fantastic video btw, would love to see more. I just picked up this hobby of making bracelets from copper, great fun.

[@pizzutistudio]

I tried it in copper and mine fell apart, I had to cap my ends. Not sure how they did it.

[@petersmedley459]

I think that medium silver solder can be used? My understanding is that it is the most resilient solder for forging and working... please someone tell me if I’m right!

[@leventelakatos6598]

What type of torch do you use? And the gas is pb or map?

[@wobbs1745]

Where can I find these? They don’t appear to be for sale on your website.

[@mawi1172]

Where did the Vikings get a torch like that?

[@antonyharnist8673]

Is it possible to buy some of jewellery?

[@Lunaschosen]

If you don't mind me asking, what is the inner diameter of that ring? How big/small of an arm, can it fit?

[@austinwheeler3679]

Serious question, how did you do the polishing?

[@shelterskelter]

Goldsmith here. Basically just buffing. Using a large grinder style tool with a screw mandrel and a buffing bob loaded first with tripoli then with red rouge. My biggest issue is the lack of fluxing during annealing. That chain is gonna be so royally firescaled it wont be fit. Further without pickling off the scale its buried deep.

[@thatshitcrayz4987]

Jerimah Noonan He used flux, you genius, and it even showed him using it. Did you really think this less than four minute video showed the entire process? Armchair expert for sure. Isn’t never buy a piece of jewelry from someone as sad and dense as you.

[@dr.lexwinter8604]

@@shelterskelter I noticed that too. He's letting the scale get deep within the twists too with his many, many quenchings without flux. But what frustrated me the most is he keeps calling quenching 'annealing'. Perhaps for time saving they just showed the start and end and he was just lowering the temp after it had reduced plenty already, but to anyone at home watching they will think 'annealing' is heating something then stuffing it in a liquid. Now I know why so many blacksmithing students struggle with annealing vs hardening vs tempering.

[@dr.lexwinter8604]

@@thatshitcrayz4987 Please provide a time stamp when you think he used flux / what you think flux is. I've watched the video twice now and I cannot see it, nor even sign of it on the material. I am sure that the goldsmith will spend many sleepless nights crying that you will not buy jewelry from him btw. That really taught him!

[@niklaso]

@@dr.lexwinter8604 And yet here he is, successful and all. Who are you?

[@diannewilson4049]

wow

[@user-cx1tu3cu6d]

U Beogradu gde mogu da kuvim Viking ogrlicu

[@nicolecrystal6765]

drill to speed twist?

[@ashleyhesser94]

Dang dude, how many ounces is that thing?

[@user-kf2fo4fb1o]

🔥🔥🔥👍

[@jonbowman9080]

This may sound dumb but do you just mean heat and not anneal, at least after the first time? I always thought you anneal once just like hardening.

[@alisonmlewis4825]

Jon Bowman working on a piece of metal will work-harden it, you may have to anneal a piece multiple times over the course of making the item in order for it to the metal to stay flexible enough to be manipulated.

[@bluesSGL]

Silver and other non-ferrous metals need to be annealed several times after being worked to prevent them shattering.

[@mahaweeks7210]

How do you figure out the length of wire needed and what gauge? My son, ten years old, really wants to try this with my help. I make jewelry so I could definitely help, but need to figure out length of wire needed.

[@pizzutistudio]

I just attempted to make one of these in copper. I used 10 gauge, it was too big. I'd use 12 gauge if I did it again. The first set of twisted pieces I used were 10", the bracelet ended up being 7" when finished. I used just under ten feet if wire in total.

[@DeadBoyHK1]

As beautiful as the finished product is, how would the ancient Vikings have made something similar, without the modern techniques you have used? Either way, I love the video and the music 👍

[@cailleach1916]

None of the techniques used are uniquely modern really. Everything would have been the same other than using a forge instead of blowtorch.

[@Tom-Lahaye]

@@cailleach1916 Biggest difference would be in making the wire itself. Now we use a steel drawplate with holes which are going to be progressively smaller, a round bar or ingot is pulled trough the holes starting from the biggest and going smaller until the desired diameter is reached. The Celts and Vikings would have hammered an ingot out to a wire of desired thickness, a very laborious job probably done by apprentices of the master smith.

[@Tom-Lahaye]

@@wildrose2748 Didn't know that, you would need something like ironwood, in Europe beach is about the hardest wood you could get but it still not hard enough to withstand more than a couple of draws, I tried that myself on a block of beach, it wears out quickly.

[@tarkanhamza7101]

Hey man I have a question. I don't know the viking culture so I need the know this. Does the viking males use gold for jewelry?

[@bluesSGL]

Silver was more common I think, but I think I remember seeing a few gold pieces.

[@stevenschnepp576]

Norse jewelry wasn't gendered.

[@SelinaWorkroom]

Georgeous! wonder how to wear this Bracelet @,@

[@asgard9974]

While this arm ring is historicaly acurate it can pair equally as well with a contemporary outfit

[@SelinaWorkroom]

ASGARD oh thx :) so kind. I want to make one but it looks so hard to me. 😢

[@asgard9974]

@@SelinaWorkroom these are traditional methods use by our expert craftsman with years of experience , definitely not easy to recreate but check out our store www.asgard.scot

[@SelinaWorkroom]

@@asgard9974 ok, I'll~~;) Thx for advising~~

[@dylanupdyke7124]

Yup... how much???

[@charlesdavis9937]

What’s the language ?

[@kyuubinokitsune4270]

Viking blowtorch! 😂 What did used vikings? Fire?

[@jeffreybodkin1777]

KyuubiNo Kitsune vikings used bellows fed charcoal forges

[@Sariporih]

Заказать можно что нибудь???

[@chrisrosario3311]

Yo u can get free art materials from trash . I get alot copper wire from trash . Me and my friend go hunting for metal to take scrap yard. I keep some for my chainmail. Make the necklaces from .sell some and keep some for my self..

[@mikaylatalks4944]

Hell yeah i can do this....4 ours later...nope fuck it...Amazon click 😆