How to inlay wire??

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Here is a shot of my first attempt.It's rough but with some more practice.......
 
You also might want to get Joe Keeslar's book on handles and guards. The ABS sells it and you can find it at many knife shows if there is an ABS booth there. I think it is $39.95 and is an excellent book. There is a chapter on wire inlay and the tools needed.

Brion
 
A technique that I got from Allen that helps me a lot is: once you have the wire inserted into the wood and glued, apply a soldering iron to the silver. The heat of the iron helps swell the wood tight to the wire. [I think this is why he uses a water based glue (like Elmer's) on the wire.]

Gary
 
Awesome topic, I plan on inlaying silver in some grips for my Ruger Vaquero. Maybe even my butt stock on my new double barrel shot gun. Keep the info coming & pictures if you got them. Any more places to pick up the silver wire would be much appreciated
 
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I've just started wire inlays, and have had a lot of trouble cutting channels at acute angles where the inlay lines branch. Several times, when I began to cut the branching inlay line, the point of the angle chipped out, leaving a triangle-shaped hole that was too big to fill with the wire. Does anyone have any suggestions for preventing this from happening?
 
Plated wire won't work. The plating is very thin and would be abraded away when the wire is finished flush.
 
bladeartist said:
I've just started wire inlays, and have had a lot of trouble cutting channels at acute angles where the inlay lines branch. Several times, when I began to cut the branching inlay line, the point of the angle chipped out, leaving a triangle-shaped hole that was too big to fill with the wire. Does anyone have any suggestions for preventing this from happening?
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Cut your first groove, then inlay the wire. Cut the next groove then inlay and so on and so forth. Not my idea, I read it somewhere, but it works. Good luck, Moon
 
Sorry to resurrect this threat but does it have to be flat wire? Having a harder time than finding round wire.
 
Did you search? There are many good threads on the topic. Most use flat wire, there are a few mentions of the proper names (to help search for it) in this very thread.

Rez an old thread is frowned upon. Doesn't bother me, but I don't make the rules. I think, generally, the idea is to first search, then, if you don't find what you need, start a new thread.

Good luck! :)
 
Hey fish, pretty sure the standard method requires flat wire, as it's friction between the wire and the wood that's holding it all together.
Get the wire from jewelry supply houses.
 
Yes, the wire needs to be flat. It is called flat wire, ribbon wire. Check any of the jewelry suppliers and you will find it. Many kit gun suppliers also sell it for black powder builders.
 
Good afternoon;

I'm new to this forum and to wire inlay. I am looking for copper wire and not sure what and where to find it. I have searched the internet and finding it very hard to find good copper wire. I understand the wire should be flat and about 1/8" wide and should have some thickness to it. Most artistic wire is copper coated and will not work for me. I have found some actual flat copper wire but they sell it in only 3' lengths and is very thin. I have thought about purchasing a roller mill but this tool is very expensive. I have purchased regular round copper wire and attempted to flatten this by hand and this process is time consuming and the wire ends up looking like some one chewed on it. Does anyone have any suggestions on where to purchase flat copper wire good for inlay?

Thanks,

Rod
 
I doubt copper wire would be as easy as silver to inlay, but it should work. You want a jewelers or glass makers supplier and the item will likely be called copper cloisonne wire. Your dimensions are a good bit off. The width is usually 1.5 -2mm and thickness is around .5mm.
 
I've done inlay with copper by pounding regular wire flat, annealing and then proceeding from there. I even up one edge (which will be in the bottom of the cut)with a light touch on a 60 grit belt, which also creates a little burr to keep it in.
 
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