Mokume Gane Heart Pendant

By Roger Halas

Combine alternative metals with conventional materials

Download Mokume Gane Heart Pendant in PDF format

MATERIALS One ounce mokume gane billet 12 gauge round sterling silver wire 14 gauge sterling silver sheet 26 gauge fi ne silver sheet 8mm gemstone, any variety Ferric chloride patina TOOLS SOLDERING TOOLS: torch setup. FORGING TOOLS: medium weight hammer, anvil, large mushroom dapping set. OTHER TOOLS: flex shaft; round carbide cutting bur; 5/16" and 5/64" drill bits; sanding drum. HAND TOOLS: jewelers saw, small fi le, bezel pusher, duct tape FINISHING TOOLS: 400 grit sandpaper, 400 grit radial bristle brush.

Like a living, breathing entity, mokume is one of those things that is never exactly predictable, which makes it fascinating to work with. It will inspire you, let you experiment, and if you’re accustomed to working with precious metals, it will let you save some money.

This project covers the basics of mokume coupled with some rudimentary fabrication skills. It will familiarize you with the principle of annealing a laminate, which can be tricky. It also covers forging, and how this affects the ultimate pattern, plus fi nishing and how a patina can really charge some life into a piece. Altogether, this is a challenging exercise, but if you keep your head clear you will end up with a result that will dazzle that special someone in your life.

Opening Photo: JIM LAWSON; Project Photos: BY THE AUTHOR