What can I use instead of crimp tubes?

beads (any kind) 24 gauge jewelry wire. jewelry clasp (I prefer toggle clasps for this kind of project) jewelry wire cutters (can be jewelry specific or a pair of smallish wire cutters from the tool box)

What are the best crimp beads to use?

Generally speaking, a 1mm OD crimp tube of any length is great for use with finer strands of beading wire (. 007 to . 014), 2mm OD crimps are ideal for . 019 and the 3mm OD crimps for the heavier .

WHAT IS A crimp bead in jewelry?

Crimp beads are soft metal beads used in place of knots to secure clasps and beads onto un-knottable stringing material such as beading wire. To use crimps, you will need some flat nose pliers to squash the crimps, or speciality crimping pliers that “fold” the bead into a small volume.

Which is better for beading, crimp or wire?

Many jewelry designers prefer crimp tubes over crimp beads. The tubes tend to be stronger than crimp beads and less likely to crack and break. Tubes may do a better job of gripping beading wire because they tend to have a larger interior surface area.

Can you use crimp tubes with jewelry wire?

Crimps are designed to work with Jewelry Wire. If you are working with jewelry wire, it is more than likely you will work with crimps. These durable little findings will provide your designs with security and add professional finishing touches. Best of all, they are easy to use!

What are the different types of crimp beads?

When creating jewelry, you want the best findings for the project, so it’s important to learn all about the crimps you will be using. Crimps come in two different forms: as a bead or as a tube. Crimp beads are shaped like a hollow round bead and come in a variety of sizes and metals.

How can I shape a crimp tube into a bead?

Very large crimp tubes can be flattened with a pair of flat or chain nose pliers. There is also a magical crimping tool that will shape the crimp tube into a bead shape. The image below shows the three different sizes of crimp tools described.