Silversmithing 101

Silversmithing 101 — Beginner Intensive

Silversmithing 101 is our foundational course for true beginners—perfect if you’ve never touched a torch. You’ll learn the core techniques, tools, safety, and decision-making that working silversmiths rely on every day. The goal is simple: give you the skills, confidence, and workflow to keep creating well beyond this class.

Who this is for

  • Absolute beginners with no prior experience
  • Makers returning to the bench who want to rebuild fundamentals
  • Artists who want an industry-standard foundation before advancing into continued education or casting

What you’ll learn (skills & outcomes)

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

  • Operate a jeweler’s torch safely: lighting, flame chemistry, flame control (neutral vs. reducing/oxidizing), and heat management
  • Solder reliably: hard/medium/easy solder, sweat soldering, pick soldering, pallions vs. wire, clean up and reflow techniques
  • Plan and execute fabrication: measuring, layout, sawing, filing, deburring, square/true fitting, texturing, forming
  • Stone-setting fundamentals: bezel design, bezel height/fit, seat creation, burnishing and finishing
  • Surface prep & finishing: abrasives, sanding sequences, polishing compounds, scratch removal, finishing choices
  • Tool literacy: what each tool does, how to choose quality vs. budget versions, how to maintain them
  • Materials literacy: understanding metals (especially sterling silver), gauges, hardness, solder flow temps, where to buy, and how to purchase tools and metal intelligently
  • Studio safety & workflow: ventilation, PPE, pickle/neutralizing, fire safety, housekeeping, and bench ergonomics

Your student toolkit (included with enrollment)

You’ll receive a complete starter kit with the essential hand tools to continue working at home (bench, torch, and flex shaft not included). Typical kit contents include:

  • Saw frame + blades 
  • Bench pin + clamp
  • File set (needle files + half-round/bastard) and file card
  • Sandpaper & polishing papers (grits from coarse to final finish)
  • Solder pick, third hand, cross-lock tweezers
  • Rawhide or nylon mallet, chasing/planishing hammer
  • Pliers set (chain-nose, flat-nose, round-nose) + flush cutters
  • Ring mandrel and ring sizer set
  • Bezel rocker and burnisher
  • Solder (hard/medium)
  • safety glasses-respirator 

Exact brands and tools may vary to ensure the best value and availability—everything in the kit is chosen to be reliable for long-term use.

Materials included

We provide ample sterling silver sheet, bezel  and wire for class projects, plus extra stock so you can experiment and complete personal practice pieces. You’ll also receive solder in multiple grades and all necessary consumables for in-class work.

Projects you’ll complete

Projects are selected to build skills in a logical sequence. Typical outcomes include:

  • Precision-fit stacking bands (soldering, sizing, finishing)
  • A sing band bezel-set cabochon ring (stone-setting fundamentals)
  • A double shank bezel set multi stone ring
  • A simple sawed piece e.g. bat, butterfly, heart etc (sawing fundamentals)
  • An indepth pierced and sawed piece. (Piercing and sawing fundamentals)
  • Optional personal project time (applying your new workflow start-to-finish)

Each project reinforces measurement, fit, heat control, solder flow, cleanup, and finishing.

Course format & class size

  • Format: structured, step-by-step instruction with live demos and guided bench time
  • Class size: small cohorts so every student gets hands-on help
  • Pace: builds from fundamentals to complete, finished pieces
  • Environment: fully equipped teaching studio with professional tools at each bench

(See the “Choose Your Cohort” page for current dates and availability.)

What’s not included (and why)

  • Bench, torch setup, flex shaft, soldering board are not included in the kit.
    • We teach you how to evaluate and purchase these intelligently (Little Torch vs. standard torch, regulators, tanks, Foredom vs. alternatives), so when you invest, you buy once and buy right.

Safety & studio standards

We take safety seriously. You’ll be trained in:

  • Torch operation, leak checks, and flame control
  • Ventilation and PPE 
  • Pickle handling and neutralization
  • Fire safety, housekeeping, and tool care
  • Proper use of acids

After 101: Keep going

Graduates can move into our Continued Education tracks to deepen fabrication, design, and stone setting—or enroll in our Casting Classes for wax carving, spruing, burnout schedules, and vacuum casting. Casting kit will be included in purchase of casting class.

Enrollment & availability

Class dates are offered in cohorts (e.g., Oct 22–Nov 22, Nov 30–Dec 30). Seats are limited; once a cohort reaches capacity, booking closes automatically. Select your preferred session on our Choose Your Cohort page to reserve your spot.