My humble beginings

My start
I started making jewelry from a very humble and limited beginning. My first tools were a pair of pliers, a pair of tin snips, a file and an acetylene torch. I actually soldered on a flat rock. I did not even have a soldering pad. I remember I was on a road construction crew and I looked for a flat rock out there along the road. There were a couple of hippie guys I worked with and they kept talking about an Indian they knew that was teaching them to make silver jewelry. They invited me to learn with them. One day after work I went to their house to look at what they were making. I was very impressed with the ring they had made. Of course if I were to see it today I probably would have been horrified. But at the time I thought if these two guys who had never held a torch could make this ring, Then how much better could I do with the many years of torch work I had in school.
So I went to Rio Grande Jewelry supply and with absolutely zero jewelry making knowledge bought my first things. At the time Rio Grande was just a little place here in Albuquerque. They were just off Central Ave which is old RT 66. The bldg. was very small and very cluttered. There were literally a path in-between equip down the middle. Mr. Bell was behind the gold and precious stone counter. At the end was the silver area with all the sheet and wire coils. The coils were on the wall and there was a lot of silver hanging there. I walked by a lot of tools I had no ides what they did. Not to appear totally stupid I asked for a torch, and they pointed me to what everyone used back then. It was a torch that had a stand up acetylene tank , a regulator and a 6 foot hose attached. A good choice I would never recommend below. I got some silver sheet some silver wire and some solder. They probably asked me which solder and I just took easy wire solder. Other wise known as the lowest melting point of the silver solders. I was never taught about the different solders and the melting points and purposes of each. I learned to solder with just one solder, easy wire. It was hell later when making big bracelets. I always wondered why some bezel joints would separate. But I got so good at using just the one temp, that it didn’t matter. Out of hundreds of rings I would only loose one to the solder joint separating anyway.
So armed with a torch ,some silver and solder and bezel and some pickle. I went to making my first ring. I think I might have had Ben Hunts silversmithing book, but in thinking back I do not even think I had that. I did find a pair of pliers in my stuff a file and found a flat rock to solder on. That was an experience, for those of you that do not know. You can not heat up a rock. Especially river tumbled smooth rocks, as they hold more water. It will explode apart. I remember as I was soldering the rock would explode little pieces from it. I did not have goggles and would hold my head away as I was soldering. That was how I made my first few pieces.
Copyright 2010 @ James Saunders