Crimping

Through the use of crimp beads or tubes, clasps can be attached to the thread and beads and pendants can be hold in position. They are also used for fixing single beads at any position of the thread.

Useful Tips & Tricks:

• Always make sure you use the correct crimping pliers for the size of crimp beads/tubes.
• To select the correct size of crimp beads/tubes, work out how often the thread has to go through the crimp bead/tube.
• It is not recommended to apply crimp beads/tubes onto nylon thread, but if so be careful as the sharp edges of the crimp beads/tubes may cut through the thread.
• In some designs flat-nose pliers may be used to fix the crimp beads/tubes, in order to secure beads or pearls at a specific place on the thread.
• In general it is more secure to work with two crimp beads at each side of the string as shown in the picture 1.

Instruction:

Steps:

1. First feed the thread back through the crimp bead and the first bead. This guarantees that:
• the clasp is attached straight and will not turn around;
• the end of the thread does not stick out;
• the distance between the crimp bead and the first bead is minimized.





2. Then squeeze the crimp beads/tubes into smoothly rounded crimps to close and secure the crimp beads/tubes as shown in picture 2



3. Finally make sure that the crimp bead/tube is completely fixed.

Split Ring

Open the split ring and add the clasp/karabiner.

Jump Ring

Instruction:

1. Open the jump ring with two flat-nose pliers or chain-nose pliers.
2. Add the components into the jump ring.
3. Then close the jump ring again with two pliers.

Lobster clasp

Use Lobster Clasps or any other fasteners with either split rings or jump rings.

French wire

French wire gives your designs a beautifully finished look by covering the thread completely. It is most commonly used with nylon or silk strung beads.