Bracelets constantly breaking

[Zoolover]

While I mainly make earnings, I will occasionally attempt to make a bracelet or necklace. The main problem I've found is that I'm hard on jewelry, so it tends to constantly break.

I'm not sure what it is that causes them to break, but have tried a few different materials, including tiger-tail and a few different types of Beadalon Wire.

Should I be using something different for making bracelets?

Bracelets constantly breaking

[Diane B.]

Are you saying that the wire or other cording itself is breaking, or that the ends of the wire/cording keep breaking away from their connections to other parts?

[Zoolover]

Are you saying that the wire or other cording itself is breaking, or that the ends of the wire/cording keep breaking away from their connections to other parts?

The wire, or whatever I'm using for cording keeps breaking on me.

[Diane B.]

I'm not sure how tigertail could break (it's a cable, isn't it?).  And most wires will be quite strong though some will break if bent back and forth in one specific area many times which will fatigue the metal, or if they're bent over/past something that bends or kinks them and especially if that area is not rounded and there's constant motion and stress (so that the edges of that something act like a saw).

Check out some of the info on various kinds of cordings for jewelry on these two pages at my site though for more info on some of the possibilities:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/jewelry.htm > Cords For Beads
http://glassattic.com/polymer/pendants_cording.htm > Cording

[Bionic Dingo]

I've had tigertail break quite a few times. Mostly I find it to be a fatigue issue. You could always try silk or nylon (They sell it on cards with a small needle attached, it's usually used for pearls or stone beads)

If you do, though, before you start your project you want to unwind the cord, attached a fishing weight to the end, and hang it off your shower curtain rod or something for a day or so. Otherwise it can stretch over time and that's a pain in the ass.

[StringingFool]

I used to make beaded lanyards, and when I first started, I found that I had a lot of breakage. I started using Beadalon 49 strand .23 in.(.61 mm) nylon coated stainless steel stringing wire. It's a bit thick, but it gets through practically every bead. I think part of the problem is just wear and tear if you use the piece a lot, and sometimes, it has to do with the sharp edges on some beads. It's something to try...

[CraftFro]

If you're doing any beadweaving (peyote or brick stitch) perhaps try Fireline thread. It is a braided thread with a coating that can stand up to some wear.

[catdaddytn]

I understand your frustration.  I used fishing line once w crimp beads and that was enough. The line just snapped.  I check and double check but sometimes my crimp beads come off.  The only reason must be that I didn't mash my crimp enough.  Don't give up

[Alexus1325]

If you're doing any beadweaving (peyote or brick stitch) perhaps try Fireline thread. It is a braided thread with a coating that can stand up to some wear.

Fireline? How bout Spiderwire! That's a braided fishing line that you can get in up to 50 pound test. You can catch biiiig pike on that line without needing a steel leader. It's so strong, even nasty pikey jaws have a hard time biting through it The only problem is, most varieties come in red or green, or clear and olive striped.

Either way, have a look around your local outdoors store. Any braided line in 20 or 30 pound test should suit, so long as you don't have sharp bead edges rubbing on the line constantly.

[Blacksmith]

Seconding the fishing line idea, also you can get braided stainless in very thin diameters if you need to go overkill on wear characteristics.