- 1). Cut 18- to 24-gauge stainless steel wire to the length you want. Place one wire in a third hand. (A third hand is a free-standing clamp that jewelry artists use to hold their work while they solder or use a torch.)
- 2). Turn on the propane gas and strike to create a flame. Adjust your flame to medium range and move the flame over the end of the wire until the wire turns red. This will happen quickly, and as soon as the wire gets hot, the end will blob.
- 3). Remove your wire using tweezers. Keep in mind the wire will be white hot, and it will instantly burn you if you touch it. Make any additional head pins, then turn your torch off.
- 4). Place your pins in a warm pickle pot. Heating the pins will cause them to discolor. A pickle pot is an acidic solution (Sparex, sulfuric acid or nitric acid) that cleans the ash, oxidation, flux and discoloration off metals. This acid bath is often kept warm in a small crock pot, and objects are placed into the pot and removed with copper tongs. Pickle pot acids are available in liquid and dry forms and often require mixing with water. These chemicals are available at jewelry or metalwork stores.
- 5). Remove the pins from the pickle solution and place them in a tumbler for 20 minutes to acquire a nice shine. You can also rub them with emery cloth if you do not have a tumbler.
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