Vintage Locket

No special tools or know-how needed.

Everything I could find about making lockets required fancy tools or know-how. So, I set out to make one without them. I’m sure it’s been done for hundreds of years though, for me, figuring this out took about 20 hours, a dollar worth of nickels, and half a box of paper clips. It’ll be well worth it if someone else makes one.

Step 1 Hammer Out Two Nickels

Use a smooth faced hammer on a smooth surface. I like to start out by placing a smaller ball peen hammer on the coin and using a larger hammer to pound it. This helps keep the coin in place and better directs your blows where you need them. Wear your safety glasses.

Once the detail of the coin begins to disappear, hammer along the edge. Notice that the coin has a tapered edge in the fourth picture. After you taper the entire edge of the coin, go back to the center with hammer on hammer. Do this until the coin is an 1¼” in diameter.

Comments

[RebelFey]

Hello, I want start by saying how much I love your instructable, I have wanted to make my own locket for as far back as I can remember. Having said that, I have hit a bit of a snag in my construction. How do I bend the wire hanger? I haven’t been able to bend it on my own and no one I’ve asked as been able to bend it as small as I need. How did you do it? Do you have any recommendations or perhaps alternatives that I might use?

[Mrballeng]

Thanks for all those nice words. Check out step 4. All you need is a pair of pliers and a socket bit. Since you can find socket bits in several different sizes you should be able to find one that fits your locket. Hope this helps.

[tiffanyshearts55]

LOL i ask alot of questions but instead of 2 washers can i use 2 nickles in place of that?

[Mrballeng]

You can. You just have to make sure the height still allows you to roll the edge over.

[tiffanyshearts55]

how long does it take the metal til it cools down enough for you to touch it?

[Mrballeng]

I always cool it off in water. As long as it doesn't sizzle water then it should be cool enough to touch. But still be careful.

[tiffanyshearts55]

Hey would it be a good idea that i add another jump ring on top of the other so theres 2 jump rings?

[Mrballeng]

You're the first person to notice the missing jump ring. Yes, another jump ring would be good.

[tiffanyshearts55]

hey man i really want to make a locket but i cant get it to flatten down at all any idea's i hammered it for 1 hour straight but it doesnt work.

[Mrballeng]

You're losing the force from your hammer strikes. Make sure you're hammering on a hard surface. If when you hammer the nickle if indenting the surface it's on it won't flatten like it's supposed to. Good luck.

[tiffanyshearts55]

i've been doing it on the sidewalk and its starting to get more flatten out i think im about done witht the first coin although i didnt use 2 hammers because banging those 2 together is really dangerous so i just used 1 and hoped for the best :D

if there is any suggestions i cn get please tell me this is all new to me :D

[Mrballeng]

You can go to an auto shop and see if they have any old rotors you can have. That would make a good hard surface. The only problem would be how loud it would be.

[michaelhoover]

Just an fyi to everyone, check out quarters to see if they are 1964 or before bc they are almost pure silver and I think they would work well for a larger locket. If you work where you have a lot of quarters coming and going it wont take too long to find two or you can buy some online for a couple bucks a piece. Just throwing this out there. :)

[tiffanyshearts55]

uhh its before 1963 btw LOL

[michaelhoover]

No, it's 1964 or before. I have a few 1964 quarters and they are 90% silver

[mr.cookie]

for the final step i glued a small piece of magnet ( i got from an old earbud speaker) coz it kind of tingled alot when you walk or run. Thumbs up for the tutorial i had a lot of fun fabricating the piece

[tiffanyshearts55]

wow thats a good idea im gonna have to try that when i finish making this (considering i have like 50 broken headphones in my room)

[GomSeMaRi]

OMG... i never imagined something this beautifull would come out of a couple of coins... and free time... i`ll have to do do this project too... but i`m missing some tools... and im a girl ... my dad wouldn`t let me handle a hammer... I`ll try this at some friends... Thank you for the Instructable... Ure great

[tiffanyshearts55]

LOL same here but my dad would let me use a hammer if he is right next to me...... trust me you can make it im currently making mine at the moment and im 13 LOL

[The Moonlight Seedling]

Hi there, I love this instructable! I love lockets and have been wanting to make my own, as well as victorian-style chain. My one problem with jewelry is that I'm allergic to nickel! What (if any) coins would be safe for me to use? Even certain sterling silver items have been known to set off my allergies! Can you help? I just want a locket that I can customize to look Victorian without having to shell out big money for the thing... cuz I'm broke. Change is a lot easier to come by than raw materials.

Thanks for the wonderful tute! I love the heart-shaped one as well - hearts are my favorite! Please make a tutorial for that one as well!

[Mrballeng]

You could try to use silver quarters (pre 1963). Though that still might irritate you. Can you send me a link or post a photo of a victorian style locket that you like? I think the best approach would be to coat the metal some how. Another idea is to is stainless steel but that may be diffiicult to work. Thanks for all those nice words. Brent

[The Moonlight Seedling]

I'm trying to track down some silver quarters now, Haven't seen one in quite some time though. I had thought of trying to coat the metal - I know supposedly there's some varnish-type things you can buy for people with sensitivity to metals... just don't have any around the house LOL! The other thing I thought of it to paint the whole thing (or at least the back) with enamel, like some Victorian lockets were, but I kind of like the easily-coordinated look of metal.

A whole page of Victorian Lockets & Locket Chains: (http://www.morninggloryantiques.com/collectLockets.html)

Some pictures:
The one that started my obsession - from the movie A Little Princess.

Also one from the page above that I particularly like.

[frisbeechamp1983]

I don't have like an anvil or anything, just like 2 hemmers, any ideas on how to hammer the nickels?

[Mrballeng]

As long as you're hammering the nickel on a hard surface you'll be good. Don't hammer on concrete though. You'll mar up the coin to much. The smoother the better. You could ask an auto shop for an old wheel rotor but it would probably be eaiser to find a sledge hammer. Good luck.

[Sparticles]

Hello, I have a question.
How do you exacly this: " Hammer the skirt until it sit’s flush with the side of the socket."
Now, my edge has about an angle of 100 - 110 degrees so it doesn't sit flush with the side of the socket yet.
But whenever I hammer my cap somewhere, a bulge appears somewhere else, so the average angle does not change at all.
(This morning i hammered a cap about 1.5 hours and compared with the other cap and there was no change.)

Somehow the circumference of the upper part of my edge must be reduced but I have no Idea how to do that. I see in these images that it must be possible but how?

Does one have any advice?

Thanks!

[Mrballeng]

Make sure the skirt is only as long as it needs to be. Place the washers in the bottle cap and trim off the excess material. Some times I find it helpful to use a punch with a 90 degree striking surface against the cap. Check out the pictures on "polished granite pendant". I included a picture of me using this kind of punch. Let know if this helps. You know where to find me if you have more quetions or would like more explaination.

[Owlman76]

I'm sure Sparticles has this figured out by now, but for anyone else reading the thread for hints (like I was), I had a lot of trouble with this step, initially.

I got to the point where I was forming it around the socket and had a similar problem with the bulges, and the first thing I did was hammer it back to flat and then pound it as thin as I could, making sure that the edge was very, very thin.

I got it to the bottle cap stage fairly easily, then spent a LOT of time trimming the skirt, it was much more involved and difficult than I thought it would be. I ended up carefully nipping away at it until it was level with the washers, which tried my patience, but paid off when I was able to hammer it flat in a few minutes. Wood shims in the clamp helped the sockets stay in place.

Mrballeng, thanks so much. Your methods for making jewelry with common workshop items is a revelation to me, and very inspiring.

[Grey_valentine]

This is a really fantastic little piece and a brilliant instuctable.
My only thought is that instead of just one groove in each half you could make two grooves one on either side. You could then take the paper clip you have inside from the hinge and use it also to make a clasp on the other side.
Hope I explained what I was trying to say x.x

[musicalbee2003]

So, I am trying to make this for my GF (basically rehashing what everyone else has already said), and then this happened... I have been using my claw hammer and an old and broken sledge as an anvil, I am getting interesting marks in the nickels from the pocks in the sledge. Clearly I need to go out and buy a new hammer before I proceed, and I'm guessing I should probably stick to the ball peens mentioned in your instructable. Perhaps my hammer was just a piece of crap? I'm not sure.

[agis68]

you re Doomed my boy!....all your hammers have a spell!!!


abra catambra.......broke!

hahahhahha

[superrust]

lol this is insane

[Mrballeng]

Oh man! I have never seen that happen. You dont't have to use a ball peen. I use a Craftsman claw hammer sometimes (of course I don't strike the claw with another hammer). The important part is the smooth striking surfaces. But yes, buy a quality hammer and make sure you wear safety glasses. Especially since you have the hand of Thor.

[agis68]

its epic!!!! my respect Sir!!!

Can you define me a price for 1 piece to make it gif to my mother?....plz


really i dont have the time to involve with this and is amazing cheap (as metal) gift with sentimental value...(the really golden one she had is stollen some years ago)

So please me a favor tell me a price if you re available to do something so...and i will pay u through my paypal account.....(seriously)

[KwartzKitten]

This is absolutely amazing! I'm not sure if I'll ever have the materials to pull this off, but as someone who wants to do stuff like this one day I really appreciate you going step-by-step and showing the process of this. Absolutely incredible.

[ololol]

oh thank you SO MUCH

i made pocket watch using this instructable. thanks!

[neetz]

would it be possible to use the bottle cap for the locket?

[Mrballeng]

A bottle cap is already very thin to start with. I've tried before but without any luck.

[kondzio29]

I'm using these bolts too!
really great stuff :D

[Nahual]

Does this have a clip to clamp it shut?

[Mrballeng]

No, it hangs closed by gravity. One person glued magnet into one he made.