The smaller, the harder?

[MarcyOHH]

So I decided yesterday that I wanted to make a little music note keychain for my mom.  I already knew it would be extremely heat sensitive but I learned a lot along the way of making it. I took 3/8" round bar and tapered it down to 1/8" round. After coiling it up on its self I kept burning my fingers trying to finish the other end! I did end up finishing the project but decided I either need better tongs for small work or a smaller fire to protect my fingers.

[clinton]

Use a longer piece that you can hold onto. Forge the end to make your music note being carefull not to break it from the parent stock. Once the forging is close you can remove it from the longer bar. Check for vidieos of Brian Brazeal forging rings and you will see the method.

[SpankySmith]

Marcy, I feel your pain, literally.  When I first started I began with only the small stuff, like initials (attached).  My own trial and error figured out the best way for me at least was to make a quick jig.  At the time I just use what I had, a piece of wood and some screws as posts to do the wraps.  Later I bought a small bending jig that fits in my hardy hole with its own pegs, just right for these small pieces.  It helped to take some thick soldering wire (a trick I learned from one of my blacksmith friends) and fiddle with the best way to create, wrap it in wire before attempting it with steel - I'm a visual learner, I needed to see the process and get my head around which end to start with.  Hope any of that makes sense?  The small stuff is indeed a challenge.

[jmccustomknives]

I love a torch for those small parts.  To much heat, to big of a heat makes thing difficult.

[Frosty]

You have a good part of the answer Marcy and making tongs is good practice. Torch is the other at least for the final shaping. I'd have to make a couple pieces like that before I decided if I wanted to scroll first or later, the scroll looks like a decent purchase for tongs but drawing and bending the "flag(?)" end puts it on edge in the tongs. Like I say I'd have to take a lash at it and see what I like. Small but stout V or round bit tongs are a must have anyway so I'd make a pair of combinations to test anyway. By combination I mean straight and cross bits.

Nice piece by the way.

Frosty The Lucky.