This bracelet is stamped all over with a whole lot of recycle symbols.
We make these bracelets from discarded pieces of plumbing pipe.
To begin, we measure and cut the pipes into six-inch lengths and crush them with a ten-ton press. That process makes two six-inch strips of copper sheet. We heat them with a torch because getting crushed hardens the metal, and it needs to be soft to work it. At this point the copper sheet is dirty and the inside is full of minerals from the drinking water, so a good soak in vinegar is needed to dissolve some of that calcium. After they dry, we measure and mark the width for bracelets and cut the strips. Next, soften the metal with the torch. We pound the strips straight and flatten them, and measure and stamp each individual letter of the phrase (if there is one) and add texture, patina and maker’s mark. Then, put on mask and gloves and file the sharp edges and do a nice polish all over. Lastly, we form them into cuffs and put them in the tumbler to work harden.
All bracelets are stamped on a six inch recycled copper bar. The cuffs are formed to include a 1/2 to 1" gap, so they will be approximately 6 1/2 to 7" in diameter and can be adjusted somewhat to be bigger or smaller. The bar width is 3/8 of an inch.
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Hand stamping uses individual stamps lined up one after the other and hit with a hammer. The letters may not line up perfectly and some letters may be deeper than others. That is what makes it unique. Because of this technique your item may not look identical to the one shown, but it will be equally beautiful.
Due to the recycled nature of this copper, it may be slightly distressed looking. There may be scratches, texture or marks in the metal. These imperfections are not to be seen as defects, but unique qualities of using recycled or reclaimed metals. We try our best to keep these imperfections to a minimum.
This item comes in a Kraft gift box for safe shipping or thoughtful gift giving.
We always welcome custom orders, if you would like something made to your specifications please let us know by sending us an email.