We don’t have sharks teeth in the Ordovician, but I do love to wire wrap them when I get a chance too. These techniques will work on any triangular fossil, and yes, I know the one on the far left is a replica raptor claw! I thought a front and back view might inspire you to give it a try yourself. There are many videos on YouTube on wire wrapping so I won’t reinvent the wheel.
Fronts
Backs
Tap pictures to enlarge.
Sharks teeth can be worn by men or women and can easily be “glitzed up” with sparkling beads!
They make Great Gifts!
It is the Holiday Season. 😀
Most of these designs can be made with just a common needle nosed pliers that I’m sure you already have in your home tool box. I started out with just a needle nosed pliers and eventually bought these tools.
From left to right – these may not be the correct names, but what I use them for: a mini wire cutter; round pliers that creates curves; a very small needle nose pliers; a plastic nosed clamper.
Wire wrapping fossils can be a fun snow or rainy day activity with the kids or grandkids. A great inexpensive way to get started is by buying inexpensive wire for wrapping fresh and silk flowers. These rolls usually only cost a couple of dollars apiece.
Inexpensive wire.
Normal wire for wrapping and one extra.
Nearly any craft store will have spools of wire you can purchase for anywhere from $1.50 to $6.00. And yes, you can purchase copper wire at a hardware store for cheap! But do check how well it bends before you buy it. This stuff is cheap (About $6 for the whole roll.) but very stiff and doesn’t hold the wrap very well – just sayin’, been there, done that! You can also strip old electric wire for wire to use wrapping, but it is usually too thick for many of the beads.
Multi Pack
For not too much money you can buy a variety pack of colors to play with in your wrapping adventures.
German Silver Wire.
Or you can really splurge and spend over $10 for non-tarnishing German silver in fancy forms – half rounds, square wire, etc.
Beads! Beads! And More Beads!
And then you can get into beads. This will cost you! I must have over $500 in beads!!!
On the cheap, you can buy old necklaces, etc. at rummage sales and cut them for the beads. Recycling jewelry is always good. 😀
These “bead boxes” make excellent specimen boxes as well for small fossils. They are be bought for from $1.50 to $3.00 at any craft store – I usually go to Michael’s or Hobby Lobby.
And then there is seeing what you are doing! At my age, that means using my $4 magnifying headlamp from Harbor Freight or dollar store magnifying eyeglasses.
Fishing Tackle.
And then there are all the jewelry finds. Lately I’ve been incorporating swivels from fishing tackle into my fossil jewelry. Most of my fossils are marine from the Ordovician. Many are viewable from both sides. Fishing tackle swivels just seem a natural for fossils and are excellent for masculine jewelry and for women’s jewelry, in my humble opinion.
Just Have FUN!
So I posted the pictures of the sharks teeth over on TFF and AeroMike shared his experience and photos with wrapping sharks teeth. Maybe some others will join in:
http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/42562-wire-wrapped-sharks-teeth/#entry463041
