Forging A Custom Twisted Pendant/Necklace

Hi, my name is Joshua Waters, and welcome to SharpshooterJD.com. In this article, I will be explaining how I made a custom twisted steel necklace for a client out of 3/8 inch mild steel square stock. All of the key information is laid out in written form below, but I will also have a video at the bottom of the page where you can see the building process for yourself. Enjoy!

Tools And Materials

• Short length of 3/8 inch mild steel square stock
• Bench vise
• MAP pro gas torch
• Twisting wrench (or large wrench)
• Wire brush
• Boiled linseed oil
• Pot for the boiled linseed oil

Twisting

To begin I am going to tighten up the piece of metal in my vise, and heat the section to be twisted up to red hot with my torch.

After that, I’m going to slide on my twisting wrench and use it to twist the piece 1 full rotation.

While the piece is hot and still in my vise, I am going to use my twisting wrench to straighten up any bends that formed in the piece during twisting.

If that’s not enough, I will take the piece over to the wood block, and attempt to hammer it straight without damaging the twist.

Cutting, Sanding & Drilling

Next, I am going to cut off the excess material with my bandsaw.

After that, I am going to sand the butt end of the piece, round all the corners, and make it smooth to the touch. I am also going to give the whole piece some initial sanding in preparation for the finishing step later.

Next, I am going to use a center punch to mark where I want my hole to go, then I am going to drill it out.

Next, I am going to cut off the excess material again, but this time on the other side which will determine it’s final length.

After that, I am going to sand the top end of the piece, round all the corners, and make it smooth to the touch.

Finishing

Next, I am going to give the piece a final sanding with some fine grit sandpaper and give it a thorough wire brushing.

Then to finish it, I am going to heat the piece up a bit with the torch, and dunk it in a pot of boiled linseed oil. This oil applied at heat absorbs into the pores of the metal and will help to protect the surface from rust.

Finally, I am going to make an adjustable cord for it out of 55o paracord, and at this point, it is a finished product!

 

Forging A Custom Twisted Pendant/Necklace Build Video

 

Final Thoughts

Well, that is all I have for you today, I really hope you enjoyed this brief little behind the scenes look at my forging process. If you did, please subscribe to my newsletter below to get updates when new articles are posted.

If you would like to purchase one of my hand forged items or request a custom order, make sure to visit my ETSY SHOP.

Thanks for reading, have a great day, and God bless!

Joshua Waters
SharpshooterJD.com

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