Nylon Coated Wire
by Liza
(Canada)
Hi,
I love your site! Lots of helpfull stuff! I am new to jewelry making and have been using nylon coated silver wire as it is cheap and does not tarnish. The only thing i've noticed is the finished pieces have a white fibers. I think it is the nylon coming off while i bend and wrap. Is there anything i can do to avoid this or can i polish it off with something after i'm done?
Thanks!
Stacy's Answer:
I'm sorry to say Liza, but other than nylon-coated wires for beading like Softflex® or Beadalon® which I use for stringing beads, I'm not familiar with nylon-coated metal wire that is used for creating wired or wire-wrapped jewelry. So I'm not understanding what the fibers you're referring to could be. Even if you brushed or removed them from the pieces you've made, wouldn't the product continue to shed? Is it the coating that is shedding or are you wiping them with a paper towel or cloth that is leaving lent behind?
For a durable tarnish-resistant silver wire, I recommend using Argentium silver, but working in silver can get pricey. For a less expensive alternative, silver-filled wire might fit the bill, but it does require more polishing. There are also lots of pretty craft wires that are not only inexpensive, but not coated with something that flakes off when you use it. For a practice metal, clean, calibrated copper wire is great!
Based on what you've described, I would think that any rouges, polishes, liquids, etc. could get in-between the metal core and nylon/plastic coating of what you're using and make it look worse. I would try a different wire product so you can create pieces that will be more durable in the long run...even if they require a light buff with a polishing cloth from time-to-time. Try different kinds of wires. It's fun to experiment and discover what works best for your learning and design needs!
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