This page is here to provide you with handy access to suppliers, organizations and publications for the metals and jewelry world. Please feel free to contact me if you find a dead link or discover a quality metals resource online to add.
I have not had personal experience with every vendor/ organization on this page. This list is intended as a helpful starting point but is not an endorsement of any specific business or organization. Use these resources at your own discretion.
Suppliers- General Metals, Tools, Gems and Findings
SJ Jewelry Supply | Phoenix, AZ- New local supplier for metals, enamels and jewelry tools |
Langertz Netzband Jewelry Supply | Phoenix, AZ- Local supplier on the west side of town for jewelry tools |
Lonnie's | Phoenix, AZ- Local supplier for metals, enamels and jewelry tools |
Rio Grande | Albuquerque,NM- Huge online supplier for metal, stones, some enamel and tools |
Hoover & Strong | N. Chesterfield, VA- Wholesale jewelry manufacturer and supplier of precious metals and stones. |
Reactive Metals | Clarkdale, AZ- Niobium and titanium metals and findings. Mokume-gane blanks in sheet and rod and other Japanese alloys. |
Fire Mountain Gems | Grants Pass, OR- Jewelry tools, beads and findings. |
Contenti | Pawtucket, RI- Range of high-end and economy jewelry tools. Very good prices. |
Thunderbird Supply | Gallup, Albuquerque, Flagstaff- Jewelry tools, mainly beads and findings, some metals. |
Grobet | Carlstadt, NJ- Jewelry tools and equipment. Call/ email for prices and terms. |
Otto Frei | San Francisco, CA- Jewelry tools, findings and supplies. |
MSC | Melville, NY- Industrial tools and supplies. |
Phoenix Jewelry Supply/ Finding King | Scottsdale, AZ- Jewelry tools and random stuff. |
Gesswein | Bridgeport, CT- Jewelry tools. They carry Superior #6 flux. |
Metalliferous | Mount Vernon, NY- Jewelry tools and non-ferrous shapes for enameling. |
Santa Fe Jewelers Supply | Mercantile Court, NM- General jewelry supplier. |
Industrial Metal Supply | Tempe, AZ- Local supplier for copper, brass. Look for their “Artist Bin” towards the back of the showroom. Bring your metal gauge or print out a handy conversion chart here. |
Widget Supply | Albany, OR- odd little site that carries a wide range of low end tools and small storage- very economical but not high quality. |
McMaster-Carr | Atlanta, GA- Just about anything you can think of. Good place for Delrin- lots of interesting stuff. |
The Bead Man | Hillsboro, OR- Extensive supply of jumprings and info on chain making. |
Micro Mark | Berkeley Heights, NJ- Model building parts and miniature tools |
Suppliers- Tool Specialists
Micro-tronics | Tempe, AZ- Water and laser jet services. |
The Carving Glove Guy | Saline, MI- Dockyard Micro Carving Tools |
NC Black | North Carolina- Billet steel milled custom hammers and forming tools. |
Pieh Tools | Camp Verde, AZ- Hammers and other forming tools |
Potter USA | Tucson, AZ- Pancake and cutting dies, hydraulic presses, forming tools |
Sheltech Custom Dies | Belen, NM- custom pancake dies and cutting dies |
Harbor Freight | Country-wide- Economical assortment of tools and equipment- somewhat hit or miss. |
Esslinger | Saint Paul, MN- Jewelry and watch making tools/ supplies |
PJ Tool & Supply | Bay Shore, NY- Assorted economy tools, ala Harbor Freight but with more emphasis on jewelry tools. |
Suppliers- Gem Stones
Song of the Phoenix | Phoenix, AZ- Pam Chott, lapidary artist and jeweler. Custom semi-precious stones, mainly cabs. |
Best in Gems | Dublin, OH- Great selection of accent cabs, beads. Excellent customer service. |
Dakota Stones | Edina, MN- Cabs and beads. Fairly large selection. |
Gem Resource International | Minneapolis,MN- Faceted and cabochon stones. Wide variety. One of my students recommends them. |
Suppliers- Metals/ Refiners
Hoover & Strong | N. Chesterfield, VA- Wholesale jewelry manufacturer and supplier of precious metals and stones. |
Hauser & Miller | St Louis, MO- Online supplier for precious metals only: silver, gold, bi-metal |
David H. Fell | LA and Phoenix- Fine metals refiner |
Myron Toback | NY, NY- findings, accessories and refining |
Suppliers- Optics, Screws, Plastics, Chemicals, Misc
Krohn Industries | New Jersey- Solders, metal cleaners, electroplating supplies and fluxes |
Nventa | Scottsdale, AZ- Liquid flux that reduces firescale |
Chem-lab | Phoenix, AZ- chemicals for etching and patinas |
Techniks | Ringoes, NJ- PNP (Press-N-Peel) etching film |
J.I. Morris Co. | Southbridge, MA- Miniature screws and fasteners/ polishing materials |
J.P Ruklic Fastener Co. | Harvey, IL- Miniature screws and fasteners |
Edmund Optics | Barrington, NJ- lenses, fiber optics, etc. |
E Street Plastics | Royse City, TX- Acrylic and plexiglass |
Suppliers- Enamels
Thompson Enamels | Newport, KY- For lead-free enamels and supplies |
Schlaifer's Enameling Supplies | Gardnerville, NV- large selection of metals and enamel supplies |
Enamel Art Supply | Freedom, CA- Source for Ninomiya and Hirosawa enamels. |
E-namels | Wilmington, OH- supplier of vintage Thompson enamels and Blythe, Schauer, Milton, and Ninomiya. Source for Gillie Hoyte Byrom's painting enamel kit. |
Stained Glass Elements | Netherlands- source for water-slide decals. |
Milestone Decal Art | Ossinning, NY- source for water-slide decals. |
Bel Decal | Medley, FL- source for laser printing decal paper |
Go Fusing | Madeira Beach, FL- Glass fusing supplies and water-slide decals. |
Organizations/Conferences
Exhibitions/ Shows/ Jobs/ Selling Resources
Publications and Reference
Metalsmith Magazine | SNAG publication on art metals |
Ornament | High-end craft magazine on par with American Craft but dedicated exclusively to wearable media |
American Craft | Premier magazine on all craft media from the American Craft Council |
Glass on Metal | Published by Thompson Enamels/ Carpenter Foundation and apparently defunct although you can get past articles issues from this link. You will get some dead pages.
(Not affiliated with the Enamelist Society) |
Jewelry Artist | Published by Lapidary Journal- basic to advanced metal working articles |
Ganoksin/ Orchid | Ganoksin and Orchid are a gem and jewelry forum and educational site (membership required) |
GIA | Gemological Institute of America |
Journal of Modern Craft | Scholarly journal on crafts (subscription required) |
Lark Crafts | Formerly "Lark Books." Publishers of craft anthologies (500 series) and "how-to" books |