How to Use GRIFFIN Crimp Beads in Jewellery Making: Step-by-Step Guide

Crimping is the wire-stringing equivalent of knotting: it secures the stringing material permanently to the clasp. A well-executed crimp is virtually invisible and extremely strong. A poorly executed one is one of the most common causes of wire jewellery failure. GRIFFIN produces both crimp beads and crimp tubes in 925 sterling silver and 24K gold plating, designed to work with the GRIFFIN Jewelry Wire range. This guide covers both types, the correct tools and the technique that produces professional results.

Crimp Beads vs GRIFFIN Crimp Tubes: Which Do You Need?

The choice between crimp beads and crimp tubes determines the tool you need, the finished appearance of the crimp and the strength of the connection.

GRIFFIN notes on its product page that crimp beads feature smooth, barrel-finished polished surfaces including the inside of the hole, with no rough edges to snag thread. A rough internal surface on a crimp bead can nick the wire strands during compression, creating a structural weak point at the exact location where the piece is most stressed.

Tip: When in doubt between a crimp bead and a crimp tube, choose the tube. The more secure connection is the better call for any piece that is high value or that will receive daily wear.

Tools Required: GRIFFIN Bead Crimper (2-Oval Design)

The GRIFFIN Bead Crimper is a plier-format tool with two specially shaped jaw notches that apply a two-stage compression to a crimp tube. The tool has two distinct oval-shaped recesses on the jaw face:

Inner notch (the folding notch): Oval and slightly off-centre. When the tube is placed in this notch and the pliers are closed, it creates a crease through the centre of the tube that separates the two wire strands running through it. This is Stage 1.

Outer notch (the rounding notch): Slightly larger and more rounded. When the folded tube is transferred to this notch and the pliers are closed again, it folds the tube back on itself, producing a rounded, compact result. This is Stage 2.

For crimp beads, flat-nose or chain-nose pliers are adequate. A simple single compression flattens the bead onto the wire and provides sufficient grip for lighter applications. The bead crimper’s two-stage process produces a stronger and cleaner result on crimp tubes, and is worth using on crimp beads for professional work.

Crimping Stage 1: The Folding Step

This stage creates the fold that separates the two wire strands within the crimp, establishing the double-wall grip that gives the finished crimp its strength.

1. Thread the wire through the clasp loop and back through the crimp bead or tube, so both wire strands run through the crimp component. Leave a tail of approximately 3cm to 4cm.

2. Slide the crimp component along the doubled wire until it sits approximately 3mm to 5mm from the clasp loop. There should be a small loop of wire between the crimp and the clasp - not a tight flush fit.

3. Position the crimp in the inner (folding) notch of the GRIFFIN Bead Crimper. The crimp should sit completely inside the notch.

4. Close the pliers firmly. This creates a crease through the centre of the tube, separating the two wire strands. The tube should now look like a sideways figure-8 or a folded rectangle.

5. Open the pliers and inspect the fold. Both wire strands should be visible, separated into their own channel by the fold. If they are not clearly separated, repeat Step 4 more firmly.

Tip: The small gap between the crimp and the clasp loop (Step 2) is intentional. A crimp slid completely flush against the clasp loop will restrict the clasp’s movement and create a stress point directly at the crimp edge. Leave the small gap.

Crimping Stage 2: The Rounding Step

6. Rotate the folded crimp tube 90 degrees from its Stage 1 position.

7. Place the folded crimp in the outer (rounding) notch of the bead crimper. The folded crimp should sit in the notch with the folded face pointing into the curve of the notch.

8. Close the pliers firmly but smoothly. Do not over-compress. The outer notch will fold the crimp tube back on itself, closing the figure-8 into a rounded, compact cylinder.

9. Open the pliers. The finished crimp should look rounded and smooth, similar in profile to a standard round bead. There should be no sharp edges or protruding wire.

10. Tug the wire strands firmly in both directions. The crimp should not slide or move on the wire. If it moves, it has not been compressed sufficiently. A properly crimped tube is permanently fixed.

Common mistake: Over-compressing in the rounding step can weaken the wire strands inside the crimp. Close firmly but do not crush. If you can hear or feel wire strands breaking during rounding, the crimp is too small for the wire diameter or the pressure applied is excessive.

Matching GRIFFIN Crimp Size to GRIFFIN Jewelry Wire Diameter

GRIFFIN Jewelry Wire is available in six diameters. The crimp component must accommodate two passes of the wire (the doubled strand) while still compressing enough to grip firmly. The following guide is based on confirmed GRIFFIN product specifications:

A crimp that is too large for the wire will not grip the strands when compressed. A crimp that is too small will not accommodate the doubled wire or will over-compress and damage it. Test the fit before beginning any finished piece: the doubled wire should pass through the crimp component with some resistance but without forcing.

GRIFFIN 925 Sterling Silver vs 24K Gold Plated Crimps

• 925 Sterling Silver: Clean, white metal tone. Coordinates with GRIFFIN’s Silver Plated Jewelry Wire, rhodium-plated clasps and cool-toned gemstone designs. Visible crimp beads in silver read as clean and professional against silver-toned findings.

• 24K Gold Plated: Warm tone. Coordinates with GRIFFIN’s 24K Gold Plated Jewelry Wire and warm-toned findings. For pieces where the crimp may be visible, gold-plated crimps against a gold wire read as intentional rather than accidental.

Always match the crimp metal to the wire coating and clasp metal. A silver crimp on a gold-plated wire is a material mismatch, not a design contrast.

Troubleshooting: Why Your Crimp Bead is Slipping

The crimp was not compressed firmly enough: The most common cause. The crimp must be compressed to the point where the wire strands cannot move when pulled firmly. If the crimp slides after Stage 2, return it to Stage 1 and apply more pressure, then re-round.

The crimp is too large for the wire: If the doubled wire has too much play inside the crimp before compression, the compressed crimp will not grip the wire strands. Downsize the crimp or upsize the wire.

Only one wire strand is inside the crimp: If the wire was not looped correctly before threading the crimp, only a single strand may be passing through it. A single-strand crimp grip is significantly weaker than double-strand. Redo the threading so both strands pass through.

The wire was damaged during crimping: Over-compression or a crimp with rough internal edges can nick the wire strands. If the wire breaks at the crimp point, the crimp was crushing the wire rather than gripping it. Use a smoother crimp component and apply less pressure in Stage 2.

GRIFFIN Crimp Tubes for Multi-Strand Designs

For multi-strand necklaces and bracelets, each wire strand requires its own crimp tube at both the starting and finishing ends. The crimp tube’s larger contact surface and the two-stage folded compression are essential for multi-strand work: with multiple wires, the total weight and tension placed on each crimp is higher than in single-strand construction, and crimp beads do not reliably provide adequate grip under these conditions.

For GRIFFIN Slide Lock Clasps (designed for two, three and four strand pieces), pair each strand with a crimp tube - one per strand end. The finished multi-strand piece will have multiple crimp tubes clustered at each clasp attachment point. These can be covered with GRIFFIN Round Beads, Oval Beads or Spacers to produce a clean finish that conceals the crimp hardware entirely.

Explore the full GRIFFIN crimp range at griffin1866store.com/collections/clasps-and-findings.