How to Make Your Own Headpins

[@pjk8629]

Thank you for sharing, today, because of your wonderful tutorial, I managed to make my first balled, copper headpins! I am absolutely delighted as I've tried before after watching tutorials by other people but I just couldn't get my copper to ball. I think my success on this occasion was due to you showing us exactly where, in the flame, we need to hold the end of the wire. Once again, thank you so much, I really do appreciate you sharing your knowledge ❤️

[@LilyTree]

Excellent! Congratulations! In my experience copper is much more difficult to use heat techniques with - as it transfers the heat so quickly to everywhere else! So keeping the wire end in the hottest part of the flame is critical. It's so great to be able to make headpins from whatever gauge of wire you want though! 😃 And I'm glad to have helped!

[@MindlessMum16]

Thanks so much for possibly 'the' best video on making balled headpins I seen so far.

[@LilyTree]

Aww, thank you!

[@pjk8629]

Michelle Eames, I agree! I managed to make my first headpins today after watching this fab tutorial!

[@pamelagaskin2924]

Ok read all the threads making sure I didn't miss any already asked questions. What the heck is pickling? And what is the product you used for it? Thank you for the tutorial 😊

[@LaynieFingers]

Pickling cleans the metal, removing fire scale and any oils that may be on the metal. It's called"jeweler's pickle," and you can buy it from Amazon. 😀

[@philipruthven3092]

Just what I needed! Thank you from across the pond.

[@Vikette1000]

Thanks for sharing. I didn't realise copper would ball like silver until seeing a couple of your videos, but it works quite well. I whacked some of mine with a hammer to get a flatter sides - a nice effect.

[@LilyTree]

You're welcome! Hammering them is a great idea!

[@richardbouska1504]

Thank you Lily 😊 I really appreciate your video's they are so helpful! ☺☺☺☺☺

[@ladydi366]

Very exciting, I'm wanting to run before I can walk, but etching is for sure on my list, Thanks so much...♥

[@LilyTree]

Thank you! I love trying new techniques. I'd highly recommend both balling wire ends and etching. I love the process and the results! 😃

[@tanyaregulus2121]

Great work

[@reneerobinson6953]

Thank you for all your videos. They are extremely helpful, well explained, and easy to understand. Do you finish your copper jewelry with anything to help avoid the skin discoloration issue?

[@LilyTree]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoy the videos! Yes, I do tend to seal the copper and I'm testing a few things. Probably the best I've found so far is Evercoat's Protectaclear. I love Renaissance Wax too.

[@bhappy1664]

Your channel is awesome! Thankyou for sharing your knowledge! 💜

[@dhduncan]

Do you have a tutorial on how to make head pins from silver wire or is it the same process?

[@gaiahsworldofcolor]

Could you do a video about wire sizes?

[@MichellesHandmadeCreations]

I've watched A LOT of videos on balling wire for a head pin. Your video is BY FAR the best. I have no questions, unlike most other wire balling vids I've watched. Thanks so much! Have you signed up with Patreon? I'd support you. I've learned more than I can say or remember from watching your vids. I pin each for future reference. Lovely necklace too!

[@LilyTree]

Aww! Thank you! 😊 I'm still working out the details of Patreon but I should be on there soon and I've got some great stuff planned! 😄

[@MichellesHandmadeCreations]

I subscribe to your channel, so I'm anxious to see your new stuff.

[@stephaniesayre3789]

Does it matter if the wire is “dead soft” or “half-hard”or does it need to be something else in order to be able to use the torch with it?

[@nancyjaniszewski2607]

Hello, well you’ve taken my fear out of making headpins. Can I use 925 sterling silver as well?

[@tanyajuli4145]

thanks for this video. Now to figure out how to make flat headpins :)

[@RosaButton]

I see you like working with copper, my question does it turn skin green once it's oxidized? Love all your videos and thank you for sharing.

[@LilyTree]

Hi Rosa, yes, I love working with copper! The 'green skin' effect is likely to happen whether the copper is oxidised or not. It can be minimised by keeping the copper piece clean, but the best option seems to be to seal it. I'm hoping to run a little experiment on the options for this soon!

[@earthmothercare13]

thank you so much for sharing

[@LilyTree]

You're welcome Caneadea! 🙂

[@jewelryhandmadedg9617]

Great video!!!! Thanks.

[@LilyTree]

Thank you!

[@JasmimUnique]

Thank you! May I as, how you clean your wire after heating (it's become black, right?)?

[@LaynieFingers]

The pickle solution she puts the headpins into cleans off the fire scale. 😀

[@clairebacchi360]

What is pickling? ❤😊

[@zitapetran1941]

Thank you, for the enlighting video! Somehow I never had the courage to try this with copper - since they only show this method with silver in every other similar videos. - I always thought, a torch-flame would not be enough for influencing the shape of copper or that it probably would not ball-up at all. Now I just became curious, if aluminium would also do the same. :D Unfortunately, the piezo-trigger in my welding torch died long ago, so I cannot just quickly run and try these. :( Another thing, which I was curious about, whether you know a method of DIY-ing a plastic-cover to a regular pair of pliers at home, since a plastic-nose pliers are a rarity (and also an expensive investment) where I live and all my copper-wires are just too quinky to work with. And they all came with a thin layer of laquer on them so that I am just unable to run them between my bare fingers to get them smoothed out. I just do not want to scratch them during this process... Maybe, I should not try to run them between pliers but between some other kind of silicone-pieces, I just do not know, which regular household-objects would do the job. Any ideas?

[@LilyTree]

Thank you! Better get that torch sorted out! I managed to get some cheap nylon jaw pliers, so that's what I tend to use when my wire needs straightening. I do also have some cheap plastic clamps which might also work, so possibly anything made of reasonably soft plastic that you can hold the wire between. The wire will leave grooves, though, so don't use anything that you want to keep looking nice!

[@zitapetran]

Good idea! - Now I just recall having seen cheap clamps in the craft-shop, which I did not buy because I thought, they'd press too strongly: maybe, I should try to cover their noses with any soft plastic in order to get a cheap nylon-jaw pliers (sort of).

[@mjn042679]

I can't get it to work 😫 I held it in the flame forever and it still wouldn't work... 18gauge copper wire. What am I doing wrong 😕 🤔 😢

[@terapeay6522]

What gauge was fine wire?

[@gloriagutridge9627]

What do you mean by pickling

[@melissalamb1]

What types of sandpaper do you use?

[@poppy7634]

Anyone figure out what pickling was?

[@ladydi366]

Do you have a book I could buy, or recommend one,? I like to have a constant reference, appreciate your expertise ...♥

[@LilyTree]

I wish! One day maybe... 😃 For recommendations, it depends what area you're interested in I really started this channel because there didn't seem to be anywhere that collected all the copper-related information in one place, so I tend to have several references, then experiment!

[@karehhartig7287]

Thank you for your help with this matter,lol, I am looking forward to practicing. ^_^

[@LilyTree]

You're welcome Kareh 😊

[@juliejelaco5208]

What is picking?

[@dhduncan]

What gauge?

[@JaneThomas58]

What are you using for pickle?

[@LilyTree]

I use picklean, which is a safety pickle. I've always been happy with the results so I can happily recommend it

[@leilakirkdietzolsen6741]

Thanks ❤️🇩🇰