Create a wire hook and eye clasp to use with a multi-strand design. I think this would look great on a bracelet with some floral inspired art beads. Ah, spring – so glad you are here!
Supplies:
9″ 18 gauge half hard sterling silver wire
4″ 22 gauge copper wire
Tools: Round and chain nose pliers, flush wire cutters, chasing hammer, bench block
Directions:
1. Cut the silver wire into two 4.5″ lengths. Bend the wires around a tube of beads (or a Sharpie Marker), form into two circles.
2. Use your fingers to bend and form one circle into a slightly oval shape, a little thinner than the circle. This part of the clasp will need to fit inside the circle.
3. Create spirals on the end of wires with round nose pliers, keeping the spirals as uniform as possible.
4. Hammer the ends of the spirals with the chasing hammer on a bench block. Hammer the circle on the round clasp and the end of the oval. Don’t hammer on the part of the wires that crosses over each other.
5. With the chain nose pliers, bend the oval clasp section in half to form the hook.
6. Cut the copper wire into two 2″ lengths and wrap around the center of the clasps.
The last two photos show the clasp in it’s natural state and antiqued with liver of sulphur.
Designers note: Use brass or copper wire to practice this design before trying it in silver wire.
Kristi Bowman
April 12, 2011 at 4:12 pmI love this clasp Heather, I really look forward to trying it out. Thanks for the instructions!!
Two Dog Pond
April 12, 2011 at 4:20 pmThat is a great idea! Thank you – I'm off to try it now.
Katie
April 12, 2011 at 4:22 pmThank you so much for posting this. I love it,can't wait to try it.
Jane Perala
April 12, 2011 at 4:29 pmBeautiful – what a great idea – thanks for sharing!
diane hawkey
April 12, 2011 at 5:19 pmBrilliant!~
Mil Delicias
April 12, 2011 at 7:03 pmMuchas gracias
Mil Delicias-Tupilandia
Elaine Ray
April 12, 2011 at 7:07 pmAbsolutely beautiful – Thanks for sharing!
Marbella Jewelry Designs
April 12, 2011 at 8:07 pmso pretty!
TesoriTrovati
April 12, 2011 at 9:44 pmGasp! That is simply stunning!
Thank you for sharing that bit o' loveliness!
Enjoy the day!
Erin
Larry Lourcey
April 12, 2011 at 10:13 pmVery cool design – guessing it is waay harder than it looks in the photographs!
Malin de Koning
April 12, 2011 at 10:17 pmGreat design!
Marian Hertzog
April 12, 2011 at 10:35 pmWow….that is really pretty! Thanks for sharing! You are so creative!
Sally Anderson
April 12, 2011 at 10:51 pmThanks so much for sharing this. I'm not experienced with the wire stuff yet but sure will try this!
Jenni
April 12, 2011 at 11:22 pmI love this clasp. Thank you for sharing your design and instructions.
Jenni
Beadbug
April 12, 2011 at 11:31 pmWhat a beautiful clasp thanks so much for sharing.
Cindy Lietz, Polymer Clay Tutor
April 12, 2011 at 11:42 pmAwesome clasp design Heather! Your work is always so clever!
CraftCrave
April 13, 2011 at 1:40 amJust a quick note to let you know that a link to this post will be placed on CraftCrave today [13 Apr 01:00am GMT]. Thanks, Maria
BooBeads
April 13, 2011 at 2:01 amWhat a lovely clasp!
Thanks for sharing!
rosebud101
April 13, 2011 at 2:09 amThanks for the tutorial, Heather. It is a beautiful clasp!
Lupe Meter
April 13, 2011 at 5:34 amI really like this clasp…what a great design and it doesn't look hard at all. Thanks for sharing the tute with us! 8D
JeannieK
April 13, 2011 at 11:31 amThis is genius
Alice
April 13, 2011 at 1:25 pmHow funny, I just left a comment on your own blog about this lovely clasp.
Thanks so much for sharing the tutorial!!!!
chicandfrog
April 13, 2011 at 6:51 pmThanks for sharing! This clasp looks amazing!
Work Of Our Hands
April 14, 2011 at 1:52 amlove it thank you
Boston Baked Beads
April 14, 2011 at 11:46 amBeautiful!
Claycass
April 14, 2011 at 12:04 pmWow! That is nice. Thanks for sharing.
Rosewind Studio
April 15, 2011 at 11:12 pmI just love this clasp! It's simple yet elegant and looks to be suitable for any skill level. Thanks for the mini lesson!
-Shannon
roseworksjewelry
April 16, 2011 at 5:27 pmCute design!
For My Sweet Daughter
May 4, 2011 at 11:22 pmThanks for sharing, that is a great clasp!
Jamie
May 28, 2011 at 7:37 pmThank you for sharing this.. it's awesome! Very pretty..
Dan Zuluaga
July 9, 2011 at 3:00 amThis Garden Gate Clasp is wonderful! If you make hand made jewelry as a profession or a past time and haven't tried sterling silver wire, you should. However, due to the increased cost in silver a higher gauge copper wire is more economical and can result in the same resistance or lower much more cheaply.
Linda Larsen
March 12, 2012 at 3:44 amthis is a great clasp and very original and interesting…thanks for sharing! found it on Pinterest….
Mixed Kreations
March 18, 2012 at 10:59 amLove this clasp! Most of my clasp are just the simple hook clasp type. I will have to give this one a try.
Thank you for sharing.
Maro Morales
April 14, 2012 at 11:14 amThanks for sharing! Is beautiful…
Pearl Blay
May 21, 2012 at 5:21 pmLovely! It's not often I come across a multi-strand clasp design.
fotolabida1
June 7, 2012 at 11:53 amΠΟΛΥ ΚΑΛΕΣ ΟΙ ΟΔΗΓΙΕΣ!!!!!!!ΟΜΟΡΦΟ ΣΧΕΔΙΟ!!!!!ΚΑΛΗ ΣΥΝΕΧΕΙΑ!!!
Laurel Hanson
November 29, 2012 at 6:30 pmLove this clasp! Very original!
Divya N
December 17, 2012 at 1:58 pmThe process is simpler than I thought..would def try it..thanks
Sublime Wire Jewellery sculptor and Design
October 8, 2013 at 6:55 amLovely clasp thank you
Style Guide
December 14, 2013 at 1:31 amGreat clasp tutorial! I posted a link to you on my site: hope you don't mind!
daisy
January 31, 2014 at 8:25 pmSuch pretty design and very clear instructions! I came to this post from Pearl's fb page; think I'm going to give this a try; thank you for sharing this!!
TN HerbFarmer
July 20, 2014 at 12:25 pmI love this clasp. Do you have a picture of it in use?
TN HerbFarmer
July 20, 2014 at 12:54 pmDo you have a picture of it in use? I would love to see it.
Bolaji Borah Oluwafemi
September 9, 2014 at 3:31 pmI am speechless. I love this and I have no excuse but to do it right away.
isabelle laurent
March 26, 2015 at 4:54 pmc'est vraiment superbe, je vais essayer. Merci pour cette très bonne idée
ShantyChicBeads
February 1, 2016 at 11:56 pmLove it!!!
Karin Kaufman
October 7, 2016 at 4:19 amCould you please show how this lovely clasp connects to a necklace?
Unknown
October 15, 2016 at 9:03 pmI am going to try this for my handmade jacket. Lovely looking.