[Illustration]
_Material:_ No. 16 gauge silver, 9 × 3/8 in.
_Directions:_ Make your pattern and mark it off on the strip of silver.
Either saw or cut off the surplus material. Drill two holes where the
holes are shown, for the claws. Saw down to these holes. Do this on
either end. You now have three prongs, the middle one a little wider
than the other two. Take the pliers, grasp the points of the outer two
and turn them outward, forming a claw. File them until they have the
shape shown by the design. Do the same on both ends. File the whole
piece up, rounding the edges nicely. Notice that the edge view given
in the drawing shows the centre thinner than either side. This is
flattened down and the flattening of the silver hardens it, so that
when it is turned it acts like a spring. When you have flattened the
centre part out to the thickness of the drawing, place it on a wood
block and with a chisel-shaped wood peg drive in the centre, making the
inside slightly concave, and rounding the top side a little. This will
bend the tongs like the design. Shape the claw ends to fit the sketch
on a hard wood block, using a mallet. Before bending the silver into
shape take the wood peg, place the claws on the wood block, and with
the wood peg drive down and slightly concave the centre of the claws.
All design work must be put in when the metal is in a straight piece.