Ask the Experts Finishing Q&A

When finishing a piece, I don't have a problem with crimping or threading the wire back through the finished beads but I have to pull on it a little too tight for comfort to make sure that the piece doesn't have too much slack in it...and be ruined. Some pieces cannot abide a crimp cover and the crimp will be hidden well but still, is there a secret to achieving the aforementioned task without using a winch?

- G

There are numerous instructional videos on different crimping techniques. You didn't mention what type of stringing material you are using. We suggest using Accu-Flex® beading wire with the highest number of strands (49) when possible to prevent the crimp edges from cutting into the wire and severing it when pulling through a crimp or crimping. Once you've put the wire back through the crimp, you might try holding the stable end of the wire with a flat-nose pliers and using a second pair of flat nose pliers to help pull the wire through.

- Kristal Wick, Designer, Author and Jewelry-Making Expert