My rings are made from pure copper wire which I get custom drawn to be as hard as it's possible for
copper to be. This is not cooked-noodle-soft copper, it's extra-double-springy copper. That said,
the copper wire still isn't quite as springy as half-hard sterling (my standard) so the copper rings
come out a ti-ii-iny bit smaller than other metals. This is most noticeable in large/thin rings.
Most of the time the difference won't matter at all, but I felt the need to mention it.
Care and Feeding of Copper
Copper tarnishes quickly with a soft patina that is appealing to many.
To keep the surface sparkling, tumble with stainless shot for 10 minutes in water that contains a
few squirts of distilled vinegar. Remove from the tumbler, rinse, and then air dry.
Inch Sizes
I started out making rings wrapped on inch-sized mandrels, and this is still what I personally
use most of the time. The first number is the mandrel size in 64ths of an inch, the second number
is the wire gauge in the AWG system. I have a
more detailed explanation
of my ring names posted on the FAQ page. I've been using these ring sizes for a long time, and I
have amassed a pretty good collection of
sample pictures for various weaves in various sizes.
Millimeter Sizes
After years of making rings in inch sizes, I finally yielded to customer requests and expanded to millimeter
sizes as well. The first number is the mandrel size in millimeters, the second number is the wire
gauge in the AWG system. I have a
more detailed explanation
of my ring names posted on the FAQ page. I hope to have some sample pictures posted for millimeter
rings one of these days, but it hasn't made it to the top of the list yet
Why two systems?
You can definitely stay with just inch sizes or just millimeter sizes and do perfectly fine.
But some customers are more comfortable with one or the other, so I offer both.
Besides, I'm a complete ring size lunatic, and I find it very comforting to know that
5.75mm is available if I need something bigger than 7/32" yet smaller than 15/64". You never
know when that might just be important!
I put together a
comparison ruler to help you see how the inch
and millimeter sizes work together.
Choosing the perfect ring size
If you aren't certain which size(s) to get, I recommend that you take a look through my
ring size recommendations, especially the
chart.
And.... COMING SOON! Ring samplers by gauge. I'm making up "kits" with half an ounce of
each size that's likely to be useful. For instance, the 19ga inch ring sampler kit will have every
ring size from 6:19cu through 15:19cu (ten sizes) in half ounce batches. The 19ga mm kit will have
every ring size from 2.5M19cu through 6M19cu (fifteen sizes). I'll add the ring samplers as soon
as they're all ready, but send me email in the meantime
if you'd like one right away.
Rings per ounce
I don't have ring counts posted for copper rings, but you can safely use the counts on the
sterling silver pages. Copper is a tiny bit lighter than
sterling silver, so you might get a few more rings - but you'll never get fewer.
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