Exploring Wax-Carving and Jewelry Making
When I started creating jewelry, I was sculpting in polymer clay. Polymer clay is a material that was very popular to use for jewelry making during the Covid-era, especially with people exploring jewelry-making and entrepreneurship for the first time. I began in 2019, and sculpted thousands of pieces of jewelry using polymer clay until I found Precious Metal Clay in 2024. I dabbled in the new medium, using my sculpting skills to craft dozens of small charms, and creating the viral Sardine Earrings.
I didn’t discover wax until later in 2024, almost 2025. I asked another local jeweler who is a master of wax to show me the ropes- and soon bought every tool that she told me I needed. In the last year, I’ve created an entire collection of jewelry from wax and know that I’ve just hardly scratched the surface of what I will be able to create.
So, you’re interested in trying out wax too. I’m so excited for you; in this economy, it’s the best way I can think of to get into metal-smithing and create a stable income from jewelry making- or just create the jewelry of your dreams.
Get Started with These Tools
You can do basically anything with an exacto knife, and it’s a great tool to have when none of the other tools are doing quite what you need them to.
I primarily do carving, as opposed to wax-dripping or other ways of creating rings. Carving means that you need carving tools to create smooth surfaces, get into small spaces, and make tiny details. There are other carving sets that are less expensive and might be more accessible- but these tools are the best.
A good rule of thumb when you’re creating jewelry to be cast is to make sure your pieces are 2mm thick at all points. At less than 2mm, your casters might not be able to create casts from your pieces because the molten metal can’t flow through.
Files get rid of material quickly, which is great for when you’re starting to make the initial shape of your pieces.
This tool is essential and goes with the Jeweler’s Saw below. The saw blades should be spiral and serrated. The spiral spits the wax out of the blade so that it doesn’t build up in the blade.
To add the blades to the saw, loosen the top or bottom of the saw and use your abdomen to bend the frame slightly. Insert the saw blade, tighten the frame, and then release it. This will make sure that the blade has enough tension to cut through the wax.
These will be your favorite tools for removing lots of material at a time and for creating rough shapes!
Truthfully, I seldom use this tool, but lots of wax artists use it ALL THE TIME. You’ll need it if you find yourself using detail wax, or using a drip method. There are some occasions that I could use it, but use a candle flame instead.
These are cheap and can be found at the hardware store! Use them to sand down the rough edges from sawing your piece off the tube!
A tube of shank wax can make almost a dozen rings- and they’re pretty cheap too! Carving from tube wax is my favorite way to make rings.
Sheet wax is great if you plan to make pendants!
This tool is not essential, but will make your life so much easier. It allows you to take material away from the inside of the ring band and easily make your rings larger! Most tubes of wax come in a size 4/5/6- so you’ll need to adjust the size yourself! I suggest doing this before you start on your design.
Last but not least, you’ll need a Dremel or some kind of handheld drill tool if you’re going to be ball burrs. You can also purchase a Flex Shaft- which will give you more control over speed and power, but is quite the investment.
Order of Operations
Start by using your jewelers saw and sawing a chunk off of your tube of wax. Think about the thickest part of the ring, and make sure you cut off a large enough chunk to accommodate that.
Next, use your drywall sanding screen and smooth the sides of your ring by rubbing the piece in a figure eight motion over the screen.
Begin using your file and ball burrs to get a rough shape and take away large chunks of material.
Begin using your file and ball burrs to get a rough shape and take away large chunks of material. Be aware of the textures that you’re creating with the materials- everything that is left in the wax will show up in the casting.
Alternate between the ball burrs and the carving tools to continue to take away material until you have a shape that you’re happy with.
Be sure to use your gauge tool consistently throughout the project to be sure that you’re not shaping your piece too thin.
Common Questions About Getting Started in Wax
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Start by researching casting companies- use keywords like: jewelry casting, silver casting, bronze jewelry casting, etc.
Each casting house will have pros and cons. Larger casting houses have quick turn around times, but can be impersonal experiences and you might pay more for the experience. Smaller casting houses allow you to have more involvement in your casting, but can be slow and aren’t necessarily cheaper.
Then, give them a call or fill out their contact form. When you make contact, ask what materials they cast in, where they source their metals, if they do mold making in house, and what their prices are, including finishing.
If you don’t understand something, ask them to explain. The casting world can include a lot of jargon, and you don’t want to pay for something you didn’t want because you didn’t understand the process.
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This depends entirely on what you want, but here’s what I ask for:
an estimate for the pieces casted in bronze and silver (the the current market rate).
finishing services and rates (as opposed to clip and ship, which leaves your jewelry cleaned but unpolished)
an estimate for the lead time, or how long until the pieces are shipped to me.
are there any discounts for placing bulk orders, or penalties for placing small orders?