Traditional Wire Rivet Tools

Wire rivets used in jewelry are classic, traditional rivets handmade for countless centuries, with wire and a hammer. This "old-school" style of riveting is a wonderful skill to develop, but it's time-consuming (and loud) to do properly. The rivets themselves are simply large gauge wire - typically 16-gauge, 14-gauge, or 12-gauge solid wire. The wire is then carefully hammered until it mushrooms out into a sturdy finished cold connection. Similarly, traditional eyelets are made by hammering a short length of hollow tubing on both sides until it's secure. Here you'll find hammers, wire cutters, hole punches, tube-cutting jigs, files and other riveting tools that we recommend for making traditional wire rivets (and eyelets, often called tube rivets).

Need a little help getting started? Check out our Riveting 101 for an overview of different types of rivets (and eyelets), and which tools work best with each type.