Beadalon, in the USA are, undoubtedly, the leading
manufacturer of flexible bead stringing wire.
Beadalon manufacture their own wire, strand and cable for stringing and have
done for the past 30 years, with a factory operating 24 hours a day.
The new wire products, produced in-house, include the first
Kink-free titanium wire, silver plated and 24 carat gold wire. These come in addition to the metallic and
satin coloured wires that Beadalon are renowned for.
Beadalon have the largest range of colours, wire
flexibities, spool lengths and diameters.
In 2009 Beadalon acquired
Artistic Wire for wires
that are permanently coloured. These
include coloured copper wire, non-tarnish brass, non-tarnish silver and
non-tarnished silver plated for jewellery and crafts. The two products complement each other well
and are manufactured easily side by side.
How is a Beadalon
wire different?
A Beadalon stringing wire is composed of many tiny wires
twisted together and nylon coated. The
flexibility of the wire depends on the number of strands used, ie a larger
number of strands equals greater flexibility. There are three sizes, 49 strand, 19 strand and 7 strand, 49 strand being
the more flexible. Beadalon recommends
that if you are new to stringing, a 19 strand is ideal.
Design Tips for
Beadalon Wire
Use the largest diameter wire that will fit through the
smallest bead hole. Too small a diameter, then you risk abrasion of the wire. The wire should be comfortably snug.
Increase bead spacing –
this will help reduce abrasion. Bead bumpers are small squishable beads that can be used at either end or within the pattern, giving a tight look whilst giving the beads more space.
Choose a wire with the appropriate breaking strength
dependent on size and weight of the beads.
Beadalon 49 is the most flexible wire, therefore ideal for jewellery that will go through a lot of wear and tear ie bracelets.
Choose the right type of flexibility for your particular
design and how you want it to look.
Use wire guardians to reduce abrasion at the clasps.
Occasionally, Crafters may feel that their beading wire is stretching. In these cases the wire is not stretching but gradually untwisting. This could be a result of using a wire that is too small in diameter or stringing the beads together too tightly. Use Scrimp findings for maximum strength and
bead bumpers in between crystals and glass beads to maximise protection.
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For all your Beadalon requirements, visit the International Craft website
