The loop size will depend on how much wire you leave past the end of your beads, and around which part of your pliers you bend the loop. A good loop size is usually about 1/3 of the way from the tip of your pliers, with about 8mm of wire.
Use round needle-nose pliers.
If using an eye pin, decide which way you want the loop to go - the same direction as the premade loop on the other end, or 90º off. Keep this direction in mind as you bend the rest of the wire.
Cut off any excess wire (we suggest retaining 8mm above the top of your beads).
Grip the pin just above the top bead (at the arrow above), and bend the wire sharply toward you.
Grasp the tip of the wire with pliers, and bend smoothly away from you, around the pliers.
Wrapped Loops
Use chain-nose pliers to grasp the wire just above the top of the bead.
Use your fingers to bend the wire sharply over the top of the pliers, at a 90° angle. You should have 2-3mm of straight wire between the bead and the bend.
Use round-nose pliers to grasp a spot just above the bend, and use your fingers to smoothly bend the wire all the way around the tip of the pliers.
Now use pliers to grasp the wire firmly across the loop. Use your fingers or chain-nose pliers to carefully wrap the wire around the stem. For best control, experts recommend you break this step into a series of half wraps.
Trim excess with flush cutters.
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Gunmetal Head Pin, 2", Standard
☆ Rising Star
1 Reviews /
Avg Rating: 2 /10
2" (51mm) gunmetal plated brass standard head pin components. 0.029" diameter (21 gauge/0.737mm). Approximately 160 pieces per oz, or 1.1 gross per oz. Soft brass with plated finish. Standard head pins are easy to bend, cut or loop. Brass is soft and easy to work with, but this causes the 2" and larger pins to end up quite bent after machining and plating. Black gunmetal color varies.
DON'T BUY these! The "gun metal" color FLAKED OFF before I even had an eye loop made, leaving dust on my table and fingers, and a "naked" metal loop. Thank goodness I tried these before I bought the gun metal chain, which I was just about to do.
