Stamped Earrings
Beginner cold metalsmithing project
by Tim McCreight

Here is a project that gets right to basics: We set a hard thing (steel tool) on a softer thing (copper, brass or sterling) and hit it with a hammer. As any child could predict, the tool will leave a mark. When we pile up enough marks, we make a pattern. These earrings have been designed to use extremely simple tools that can be made from hardware store items. The path of jewelry technology is a long and interesting one, but like all paths, it has to start somewhere, often with a technique as simple as place-hit-repeat.

This project requires two steel punches, both of which can be made by modifying familiar items you’ll find in any hardware store.

The plus sign (+) is made by sanding off the tip of a Phillips-head screwdriver bit made to be used in an electric drill. Some have a standard flat screwdriver blade on the other end and these will work, but if possible, get one with a blunt back end like the one shown here.

To make the intended mark, we’ll need to remove the tip of the tool. Because it has been hardened, this tool cannot be altered with saws or files. Silicon carbide sandpaper, also sold at most hardware stores, is hard enough to abrade the steel.

Sand across the top of the tool until you’ve created the plus-sign mark. In order for the stamped impression to be crisp and uniform, the face of the stamp (the part that makes the mark) should be flat and perpendicular to the axis (illus. A.). The tip should not be angled (B) or curved (C) because these will yield a blurred mark.

The dot part of the pattern is made with nothing more complicated than a nail, and here you have two choices. You can use any old nail to make a crater-shaped impression. Common nails are made of relatively soft, mild steel and after a few blows the point will be blunted. A better solution is to use a hardened concrete nail, also available at hardware stores. I prefer 2" or larger because they’re easy to grasp. Whichever nail you use, round the tip with sandpaper to make a symmetrical, bullet-shaped end.

Stamping depends on the ability of metal to displace when struck. Under a blow, the material beneath the tool compresses and pushes outward. The more metal there is, the more dramatic the effect. Stamping on thin metal is not only less effective visually but it’s more difficult too. For this project, I recommend at least 18-gauge sterling, brass, or copper.

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Draw a guideline on the metal in pencil. After you’ve made the longest line of plus signs, you will draw additional guidelines for the other marks.

Set the metal on a hard, stable surface. The ideal tool is an anvil but any large piece of metal (like a vise) will do. To achieve a clear mark, set the tool in position and give it a single solid blow. I suggest practicing on a piece of scrap to check the tool and develop a rhythm. When you have a confident feel for the process, move to your workpiece and strike 5 plus-signs in a line. Move to the second earring and repeat the process.

Draw pencil lines for the two rows that will be parallel to the first, then strike these impressions. The goal is to have nearly identical marks, but the minor variation of the human touch is a valuable part of the process. Repeat for both earrings.

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Strike the final plus sign to complete the vertical line of 5 marks, one above the other.

Use the nail punch to make dots centered between the plus signs.

Cut out a square with scissors or a saw, and file the edges to make them smooth. Of course jewelers have specific tools to smooth the edges, but if you’re just getting started you can make do with abrasive sticks used for manicuring.

Drill or punch a hole in the upper corner and insert an earwire.