How To Use Crimps For Jewellery Making

Step 1

Thread your wire and your choice of fastening component through the crimp.

Step 2

Create a loop by threading the end of the wire back through the crimp.

Step 3

Adjust the size of the loop accordingly and push the crimp shut with the tool of your choice ( see below for the different tools you can use).

Step 4

With side cutters, cut off the excess wire. 

Snipe Nose Pliers

The simplest way of securing a crimp is to squeeze it flat with snipe nose pliers. This will give you a flat piece of metal within your design and can cause sharp edges.

Ensure that everything that needs to be passed through the crimp is before squeezing shut.

Snip nose pliers are a great pair of pliers that will come in handy for many things when making jewellery.

Micro Crimping Pliers

Unlike simply flattening crimps using snipe or flat nose pliers (which can cause flat crimps with sharp edges) the pliers have cleverly shaped jaws so they have a two-step process that creates small, neat crimps.

These pliers are meant for use with crimps with an inside diameter of less than 2mm.

We recommend our Sterling Silver 1mm Mini Crimps.

Magical Crimping Pliers

These fantastic universal magical crimping pliers transform 2mm tube crimps into little round beads meaning you can you can make them part of your design as they look like metal beads. Plus they won't scratch your skin like other crimps might, as they create a nice smooth ball.

Centre the crimp in the hole and squeeze. The crimp should now look like a small ravioli. Turn the bead 90 degrees and centre again. Squeeze, open pliers slightly and repeat 3-4 times until the bead is rounded

(Please note these must be used with our 2x2mm sterling silver or rolled gold crimps on 0.45mm/0.018 inch Flex-rite jewellery wire or 0.6mm/0.024 inch Flex-rite jewellery wire).

Follow Our Bracelet Tutorial Using Crimps

This is a great project if you want to have a go at making your own gemstone bracelet! Easily create a bracelet using Flex-rite jewellery wire with your choice of beads.

This project shows you how to fasten your design using crimps as well as knot covers, which are used to hide crimps and knots in your designs - they also have a handy loop that makes it easy to attach your chosen clasp.

The project has online step by step photos and a recommended shopping list of tools and supplies.

Use Wire Guardians To Protect Your Thread

Wire guardians, also known as thread protectors are a clever alternative gimp wire which is also used to cover exposed thread and protect it from wearing against fastenings.

They are really simple to use, to finish your necklace, thread a crimp on after your last bead and simply feed your thread or wire through the protector. Slip your clasp, necklet-end or jump ring over the protector and the thread together, pass the thread back down through your crimp and fasten as you would normally.

Sterling Silver Crimp With Loop

This crimp has loops that you can attach clasp directly to. The tube comes in various sizes for different sized threads. To secure, simply squeeze the middle part of the crimp with the tip of snipe nose pliers.

Sterling Silver Crimp and Hook Clasp

Theses are also used by simply inserting your thread and gently squeezing the central band of the crimp part with snipe nose pliers to grip it firmly. There is no need to even add a clasp as the hook part simply slips through the loop to fasten.These can be used with threads up to 1.5mm in diameter so they will even take thinner cotton or leather cords.