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Welded the Proper Way

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Categories: Instruction and information; Jewelry

Word count/read time: 481 words; 2 minutes

Every industry cycles through buzzwords, like welding in chainmaille. Advanced joining techniques like welding, soldering, and brazing are the only way to transform chains into full-fledged jewelry. However, it doesn't improve quality automatically.

Jewelry starts with superior joins that are neither visible nor detectable through sight or touch using quality materials (no damaged, pinch-cut, nipper-cut, or machine-sheared rings) combined with exemplary construction techniques (no gaps or misaligned edges). Chains that ignore these fundamental chainmaking principles should be avoided. Children can make perfect butted chainmail and chain link designs though most adults are lazy and careless and barely make barbed wire!

While possible to solder, braze, or weld a pinch-cut ring, it is not jewelry. Welding ensures any misaligned or bad ring will remain ugly eternally, negatively affecting the finished product. It's a placebo because unfashionable welds don't satisfy jewelry's fundamental principles: pleasing aesthetics, quality workmanship, proper function.

Cheap tabletop spot welders are a bargain at ~$150. They are a joke with serious drawbacks. Whenever someone says they weld their chainmail, 99% of the time they use these crappy welders. It shows. Anyone can use one and the results will always be junk! Shielding gas is expensive, necessary, but rarely used as it requires obscene amounts of practice and adjustments to dial everything in.

Using inferior tools on a substandard assembly produces garbage. For the sake of saying it's welded, it's true, but in spirit, it isn't. Buttering the marketing campaign like this is pathetic. It's jewelry, not poser stuff, so respect it if you call it that. Doing it well requires dedication and skill that only the most conscientious artisans possess.

Have manufacturers given up and accepted their incompetence, like they have no control over the lousy results? Worse, many high-end designer brands don't even weld or solder their jump rings on $4000+ designs! Do they think customers won't notice rings pulling apart and sharp edges cutting their flesh, or how horrible it looks? Domesticated barbed wire that's been welded is unpraiseworthy.

Precious metal chains are weak and worth little more than scrap value without properly welded or soldered links. They are an expensive and over-priced novelty but not bonafide jewelry. It's what separates real jewelry and honest, talented artists from everyone and everything else.

Those who disagree with the facts stated above place a priority on getting your money over quality workmanship and integrity. Just know what you're buying, right? Is any price fair if you're deceived? Captain Obvious says look elsewhere.

A discriminating buyer will quickly discover there are no buzzwords here. I've been welding my chains since the beginning. There is a difference and I invite you to see for yourself IF you can find the welds. Better yet, close your eyes and feel the supple, fluid nature. My bad welds go in the scrap pile yet they are still better than what others call their best.

Posted by M: November 17, 2021

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