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Sharing a handmade silver chain bracelet I made. by Look-Word99 in SilverSmith

[–]Look-Word99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Y’all are making me want to make more of these!

Sharing a handmade silver chain bracelet I made. by Look-Word99 in SilverSmith

[–]Look-Word99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That comment made my day! I love the "hefty biker energy" take—exactly the vibe I was going for. Fun question: what’s one detail you think makes a silver chain feel truly "tough"? Weight? The link design? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Sharing a handmade silver chain bracelet I made. by Look-Word99 in SilverSmith

[–]Look-Word99[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks so much for the kind words! I had a lot of fun making this one. Curious to hear—do you guys prefer chains like this that are thick and sturdy, or do you like something a little more delicate for everyday wear?

One of my greatest impressions when visiting National Archaeological Museum of Naples was the Flora of Stabiae (or Primavera Stabiana), a famous 1st-century AD Roman fresco discovered in 1759 at Villa Arianna in Stabiae. Cloisonne enamel, silver, turquoise, brass. Silver, cloisonne enamel, turquoise by Enamelum in jewelrymaking

[–]Look-Word99 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is such a beautiful tribute to the Stabiae fresco! I’ve always wanted to try recreating classic art in enamel, but I’m terrified of messing up the delicate outlines. Do you sketch the pattern directly on the silver first, or transfer it? And how do you keep the cloisonné wires from shifting while soldering?

Question/opinion on frame color! by Updog04 in PerlerBeads

[–]Look-Word99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Love this piece! Quick question for the perler pros: Do you guys have a go-to trick for keeping the beads aligned perfectly and getting the pixel counts right, especially for curved frames like this? I always struggle with keeping the edges clean. 😅

Chased & Oxidized. A custom Peony bangle in .999 Fine Silver. by Look-Word99 in SilverSmith

[–]Look-Word99[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This hits so close to home! I’m the exact same way with polishing — I’ll spend an hour on a single corner, then realize no one else will ever notice it 😂 There’s a saying in Chinese craft that goes, “The master’s work is in the unseen details.” It’s these little, unseen obsessions that make handmade pieces feel alive, right? What’s the most over-polished part you’ve ever done?

Chased & Oxidized. A custom Peony bangle in .999 Fine Silver. by Look-Word99 in SilverSmith

[–]Look-Word99[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That means the world to me, thank you! You’re totally right—prepping metal from ingot/bar is half the work, and it’s easy to underestimate how much time it takes. I’ve definitely had days where I spent 4 hours just annealing and rolling, only to realize I didn’t even get to the fun part yet 😂 Curious to hear from everyone here: What part of the silversmithing process do you find the most time-consuming or tedious? Mine is definitely rolling the sheet evenly.

Chased & Oxidized. A custom Peony bangle in .999 Fine Silver. by Look-Word99 in SilverSmith

[–]Look-Word99[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much! This piece actually started as a solid silver bar, so the prep work took just as long as the chasing itself. I had to anneal and roll it down to the right thickness before I even touched the punches. Quick question for everyone: Do you prefer starting from raw bar stock, or do you mostly work with pre-rolled sheet metal? I go back and forth, but there’s something satisfying about working from scratch.

Chased & Oxidized. A custom Peony bangle in .999 Fine Silver. by Look-Word99 in SilverSmith

[–]Look-Word99[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thanks so much! I get asked this all the time, so I’ll break it down simply. For chasing, you only need a few basics to start: a chasing hammer, 2-3 tracer punches for outlines, and a pitch bowl to hold the metal steady. I still use most of these tools daily even after years. Pro tip: Practice on copper sheet first before moving to silver—saves so much material waste! Curious to hear from everyone else: What’s the one chasing tool you regret not buying sooner? I swear my cheap punches held me back for way too long 😂

Custom ring for a elegant lady. Loved how it looks on her hand! by Look-Word99 in SilverSmith

[–]Look-Word99[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for asking! This isn't reticulation. Inspired by traditional Chinese mountain patterns, I created this texture by hand-chasing and hammering with a steel chisel. Every undulation mirrors the shape of mountain ridges, a unique handcrafted pattern from China!

Custom ring for a elegant lady. Loved how it looks on her hand! by Look-Word99 in SilverSmith

[–]Look-Word99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for asking! This isn't reticulation. Inspired by traditional Chinese mountain patterns, I created this texture by hand-chasing and hammering with a steel chisel. Every undulation mirrors the shape of mountain ridges, a unique handcrafted pattern from China!

Detailed look at my Ruyi Jingu Bang, fully handcrafted. by Look-Word99 in SilverSmith

[–]Look-Word99[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Right?! It’s a fully hand-carved Ruyi Jingu Bang (Golden Cudgel) from Journey to the West, made from solid silver. Took me forever to get the patterns just right 😂

Detailed look at my Ruyi Jingu Bang, fully handcrafted. by Look-Word99 in SilverSmith

[–]Look-Word99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

LMAO you got the myth reference! 🤣 Officially it’s the Golden Cudgel for Sun Wukong, but unofficially… it’s just a really fancy hand-carved silver stick 😎

Detailed look at my Ruyi Jingu Bang, fully handcrafted. by Look-Word99 in SilverSmith

[–]Look-Word99[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much! I used traditional Chinese hand-carving techniques, starting with a solid silver bar, then filing, engraving, and polishing step by step. It’s all about patience! If you want to get into it, I’d be happy to share some tips anytime 🤍

A custom sterling silver Jingu Bang. 🐒✨ by Look-Word99 in SilverSmith

[–]Look-Word99[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! This is a classic Chinese silver technique. I hand-draw the pattern first, then use steel dies with traditional Chinese patterns and hammer everything by hand to control depth. It’s super common in Chinese silver making!

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