This is one cool tool! Learn to forge, fabricate, and customize a tiny riveting hammer using a chopstick, nail, binding wire, and dental floss! This is a versatile, lightweight little hammer perfect for setting small rivets, texturing surfaces, tapping down bezels for stones, and forging small wire. In the process of creating this little hammer we’ll learn hot-forging techniques to make other useful bench tools. I first made this hammer more than 15 years ago when the studio I was working in didn’t have a hammer light enough or small for the task at hand. I’ve since made countless more for friends and students and I use my original one everyday at the jeweler’s bench. You’ll come to treasure yours as well.
Supply List:
For Forging:
- A medium weight ball peen hammer
- Pair of vice grips 8 inches
- Standard Hardware store pliers
- Jeweler’s saw with #02 and 2/0 blades
- Leather work gloves
For finishing:
- Emery Paper (wet/dry) in 320 & 400 grit
- Assorted needle files (or a 6 inch #2 [bastard] cut)
- Buffing cloth (old flannel shirt)
- Hand drill or Dremel with 2 #60 bits
- Pocket knife
Teacher will bring:
- 40D (that’s 40 Penny) Nails
- Bamboo chopsticks
- Waxed Dental Floss & waxed linen cord
- 20 gauge copper, brass, or iron binding wire.
A Little About ME
Ken Bova holds a BFA in painting and drawing and an MFA in metalsmithing. Both areas of this training are integral to his work which combines the two in one-of-a-kind mixed media wearable assemblages, sometimes known as jewelry. He is past president of the Society of North American Goldsmiths and has more than 20 years teaching experience. His jewelry is in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Racine Art Museum, the Georgia Art Museum, and the Tacoma Art Museum among others, as well as in numerous private collections.
