Silver Keyhole Pendant

Materials:

large sterling silver disk
smaller sterling silver disk
mica sheet
vintage map
vintage skeleton key
14-gauge sterling wire
twisted wire
large diameter silver tubing for bail
clear thin packing tape
liver of sulfur in heated crock-pot
hammer
files and sandpaper
drill press and small drill bits
safety glasses
permanent marker
coping saw
rubber gloves
steel or brass brush
craft glue

1. Hammer around the edges of a large pre-fabricated silver disk to create a design (figure A).

2. Smooth the edges using a file and sandpaper.

3. Draw a keyhole shape on the small silver disk with a permanent marker, (figure B) drill a hole inside the keyhole shape, thread a coping saw blade through the hole and reattach the saw blade. Saw the keyhole shape out (figure C).

4. Form the twisted wire into a keyhole shape outline, apply flux and solder the connection. Pound the wire out until it lays flat. Drop the wire into a heated pickle solution to remove the fire scale. Rinse in water and dry.

5. Solder the twisted keyhole shape to the smaller disk to outline the pierced shape (figure D). Place the piece in the pickle solution. Rinse in water and dry.

6. Cut a length of silver tube for the bail, file and smooth the ends, apply flux and solder the bail to the back upper portion of the large silver disk (figure E). Drop the piece in heated pickle solution to remove fire scale. Rinse and dry.

7. Drill four holes for rivets in the smaller pre-fabricated silver disk (figure F). Use a drill bit that will allow the wire to fit snugly in the hole. De-bur the holes using a drill bit that is a little larger than the holes. Sand the edges of the disk.

8. Lay the smaller silver disk on top of larger silver disk and mark the upper left hole with a permanent marker. Drill the hole.

9. Cut out a circle from the map (figure G) and sandwich it between two pieces of packing tape. Cut a piece of mica using the small keyhole disk as a guide (figure H). Cut the map and mica smaller than the diameter of the drill holes.