Making a Shark Tooth Necklace

[superstar]

How do I twist the wire around the shark tooth to make a necklass? Does any one have pictures or a video?

 

[DevonDiver]

I hope you won't be using real shark's teeth....:shocked2:

Please don't contribute to the eradication of an apex predator that is critical for the health and sustainability of our oceans and coral reefs......

 

[Cave Diver]

I hope you won't be using real shark's teeth....:shocked2:

Please don't contribute to the eradication of an apex predator that is critical for the health and sustainability of our oceans and coral reefs......

Since this question is posted in the fossil forum, one could reasonably make the assumption that the apex predator in question has long since met it's demise.

 

[loquat149]

I hope you won't be using real shark's teeth....:shocked2:

Please don't contribute to the eradication of an apex predator that is critical for the health and sustainability of our oceans and coral reefs......

What if the shark's been dead--or even extinct--for, say, more than a million years?

Dave

 

[DevonDiver]

Ha ha... I didn't notice this was in the fossil forum... fair enough!

However, personnally, I still think that wearing such objects does serve to stimulate the overall industry and demand for simular (less historical) jewellery.

 

[thedaddy]

Here we go...

Anyway, to answer your question, it pretty much depends on the shape/type of tooth (a mako is much different than a sand tiger, and upper/lowers differ too). Take a look at the teeth in a surf shop and how they did it. The tricky part is getting the loop and then the twist at the end without leaving a little sharp end to jab you (I assume you're using wire to wrap the tooth). It's hard to describe the wrapping process without, as you mentioned, a video but it's a pretty simple process (kind of like writing how to tie a shoe).

I start with either 26 ga floral wire or 30 ga steel thread and cut a foot section. Loop it around the blade of the tooth, crossing in back and then up over the front of each side of the root. Bring the wires together and form your loop (size to your preference) by doubling the wire and looping around a pencil, then twist the base of the loop. Next split the doubled wires back apart and continue over the back sides of the root. Cross the wires and loop around the blade again to bring the wire around together at the back of the blade. Twist the ends until the tension is pretty tight and snip with wire cutters. Fold the twisted end flat against the wire wrapped around the blade and put a drop of waterproof glue over the twists and sharp ends(aquaseal works really well and is flexible/tough). Takes all of 3 minutes and is better than most of the stuff out there in the souvenier shops. Then just get your chain or leather for the necklace and you're done.

For really small teeth (and I don't see the point here) you can buy barbed loops for fly fishing and just drill a _small_ hole in the tooth and glue the loop in.

 

[thedaddy]

NOTE: I hope I don't contribute to the extinction of any species by my post, particularly three toed horses or megalodon, the teeth I use for necklaces. I tried a mammoth tooth, but my back hurt after wearing it around for a while.

Seriously, most anyone that knows me and my family will tell you that we're fairly conservation minded.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Here's a quick "how to" search from Google

How to Make a Shark Tooth Necklace | eHow.com

What ever you do... make sure it is not still in the shark's mouth before you start

 

[Jim Lapenta]

If you wear a shark tooth necklace while diving be sure to display it. It will show other sharks that you are one with them and they will not bite you.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Ha ha... I didn't notice this was in the fossil forum... fair enough!

However, personnally, I still think that wearing such objects does serve to stimulate the overall industry and demand for simular (less historical) jewellery.

Well, whatever you think

Around these parts, thousands of fossil teeth are pulled out of the salt water, rivers and quarrys every day. There is no demand for less historical jewellery when its easier to find 200 teeth in two hours than it would be to go out and hunt a shark (even a Megeladon)!

To give you an example of what is being discussed (I realize you are from a different part of the world)

These are often pulled from a single day of shore diving here