How to Make Head Pins

This is an easy way to make your own head pins. You can use a creme brulee torch for it - or a hand-held torch, but it's easier with a free-standing torch (at least for me). It's a great technique, and she's absolutely right about using fine silver as opposed to sterling. I've done it with sterling silver and it's a bit harder - it takes longer for one - because sterling is an alloy, made with copper. Keep in mind as you do this that you need to hold your pin vertically because as the bead forms in the fire, gravity will cause it to pull downward, thus creating a sphere, instead of a lopsided lump, which is what will happen if you hold your wire any other way. :)

You can leave your head pins with the ball on the end. To flatten them, I simply used a fine drill bit and drilled holes (very fine bit)in a 2X4. The holes have to be small enough so that you can drop the pin down them, but not have the ball go through. Then I just give the top a whack with a hammer. If you are going to polish your pins, go ahead and use your planishing hammer. If not, use a rawhide mallet, as this will not mar the silver.