If I Had a Nickel...

Today's Silver Price: $30.21/t.oz.

I've been looking at some nickel alloy wire on Rio Grande's website. The wire is 65% copper, 17% zinc, 18% nickel. It has a silver-tone finish. It comes in a 200 ft spool for $27.00. They also sell nickel jump rings which should work well with the wire- I don't want to mix metals too much, I'm not ready for that! LOL.

One of the advantages to using this wire over silver-plated or silver-filled is that there is not a different metal at the core of the wire which would show on the wire ends. If I were using a silver-plated wire I would have to have  a way to hide the ends of the wire to not show the brass or copper core.

A disadvantage would be that this particular wire only comes in dead-soft. I prefer to work with half-hard wire as it is more rigid. I am a little concerned about the wire holding its shape in jewelry designs. However wire is supposed to be come harder as you work with it (and becomes most hard when hammered).

I think I will give this wire a try- you can't beat the price! I'm going to try some linked hearts necklaces and bracelets and see if I can come up with some other linked shapes. Maybe Celtic knots? I have to make some prototypes out of craft wire to see what the designs will look like.

So now I can say... if I had a nickel for every time I've heard that... I'd make necklaces!