I've bought some of the brass Kwik-wire, plus ferrules and the super crimper from Lion. Yesterday I had little time to try it, but my first reactions were not that positive.
I've had more time to try things today, I've dug out my old stocks of brass wire, various sizes of ferrules and I'm starting to find out how to get better looking crimps, which are also very strong too! The crimper delivers massive pressure and if you fill up the space in the ferrule as much as possible the crimp can look quite neat.
However, the Kwik-Wire is very stiff and not that quick and easy to work with. Does anyone else use the stuff? Any tips, please.
Thanks in advance
Mark
Kwik-wire
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Not your average framer
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markw
Ive not used the brass quick wire - but have used the crimping system on the thin stainless steel wire that Lion sell - the wire is shark trace and is very strong for its weight. This stuff works well on small pictures and looks very neat. The only problem I had was with the bigger wires when used on heavier frames - if you dont get the crimping just right then you find that the wire will very slowly slip through the crimp.
I would imagine that used with the softer brass wire you would probably get more give in the wire and therfore a better crimp.
Having gone through a number of different techniques over the years to get a neat looking hanger on the back of the frame I have finally settled for the Stainless steel softwire - with practice this gives a very neat and utterly reliable hanging.
I would imagine that used with the softer brass wire you would probably get more give in the wire and therfore a better crimp.
Having gone through a number of different techniques over the years to get a neat looking hanger on the back of the frame I have finally settled for the Stainless steel softwire - with practice this gives a very neat and utterly reliable hanging.
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Bagel Framer
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I use the stainless wire too, plus a set of Fletcher wire winders that compliment the wire. They take a bit of getting used too, but give you good "turns" on the wire. I then tend to put the end of the wire back through the ferrule then crimp it.
I bought some of the thick gauge wire too but haven't used it yet - the crimper also costs £70 too, not got that yet.
For big frames I use canvas hangers, therefore not needing to use the wire.
Sean
I bought some of the thick gauge wire too but haven't used it yet - the crimper also costs £70 too, not got that yet.
For big frames I use canvas hangers, therefore not needing to use the wire.
Sean
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Grahame Case
we've headed onto using the Kwik Wire system again - we have used it briefly in the past, many years ago.
but we find it to be much easier than shredding our hands and fingers on traditional all brass wire, our crimpers aren't up to the job of crimping the ferrules for the #7 wire, so we are investing in those super crimper thingymajigs, they look like the tool for the job!
using this in conjunction with the Odems System we hope to up our game and provide a quality hanging method that befits our framing.
but we find it to be much easier than shredding our hands and fingers on traditional all brass wire, our crimpers aren't up to the job of crimping the ferrules for the #7 wire, so we are investing in those super crimper thingymajigs, they look like the tool for the job!
using this in conjunction with the Odems System we hope to up our game and provide a quality hanging method that befits our framing.
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osgood
"Kwik Wire".....I guess this is the system that uses ferrules and requires a special tool to crimp the ferrules.
I looked at this system many years ago and did not like it. Many framer in this country tried it out about 6 or 7 years ago, but I'm not sure that many of them still use it. I had a couple of frames come in some years ago (where someone else had used this system) that have fallen off the wall and broken the glass and the corners of the frame because the wire slipped out of the crimped sleeves.
The wire was so thin that crimping needs to be done perfectly every time or it won't hold. Thin wire is not to my liking at all. It may be strong enough, but try carrying a large frame around holding the wire in your hands!
I am always very cautious when a manufacturer proposes that something is "Quick". It's a well known practice in the advertising industry to promote one of the disadvantages of a product, by reversing it, giving a false impression. I would not be at all surprised if this method is indeed quite time consuming (and frustrating) but the name of the product already has users of it convinced of it's speed before they even try it out.
I can just picture the tedious nature of the process in my tiny mind. Feeding thin wire through dee rings or whatever, then feeding it through a sleeve and having bumble fingers, letting it fall out again and on about the fourth try, managing to get the crimper in place and squeezing the handle only to find that the wire has again slipped out of place.
I think I will let you guys have this one all to yourselves.
I looked at this system many years ago and did not like it. Many framer in this country tried it out about 6 or 7 years ago, but I'm not sure that many of them still use it. I had a couple of frames come in some years ago (where someone else had used this system) that have fallen off the wall and broken the glass and the corners of the frame because the wire slipped out of the crimped sleeves.
The wire was so thin that crimping needs to be done perfectly every time or it won't hold. Thin wire is not to my liking at all. It may be strong enough, but try carrying a large frame around holding the wire in your hands!
I am always very cautious when a manufacturer proposes that something is "Quick". It's a well known practice in the advertising industry to promote one of the disadvantages of a product, by reversing it, giving a false impression. I would not be at all surprised if this method is indeed quite time consuming (and frustrating) but the name of the product already has users of it convinced of it's speed before they even try it out.
I can just picture the tedious nature of the process in my tiny mind. Feeding thin wire through dee rings or whatever, then feeding it through a sleeve and having bumble fingers, letting it fall out again and on about the fourth try, managing to get the crimper in place and squeezing the handle only to find that the wire has again slipped out of place.
I think I will let you guys have this one all to yourselves.
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Not your average framer
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Hi Ormond,osgood wrote:I can just picture the tedious nature of the process in my tiny mind. Feeding thin wire through dee rings or whatever, then feeding it through a sleeve and having bumble fingers, letting it fall out again and on about the fourth try, managing to get the crimper in place and squeezing the handle only to find that the wire has again slipped out of place.
It takes a pair of pliers to form it round the D-ring and to resist the tension from the wire, (which is trying to spring back straight), while feeding it back through the ferrule. It's very stiff, very springy and not exactly quick to use.
I also strongly suspect that it's quoted breaking strain is well below what it would actually take to break it. It's seriously strong stuff and would probably pull out of the crimp rather than break.
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Not your average framer
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I've had a bit more time experimenting with the Kwik-Wire. I changed my approach, (from feeding three thicknesses of the wire through the furrule as shown in the Lion Catalogue), to using a smaller ferrule and just feeding through two thicknesses only. It's much quicker and works just fine with Lions "Super Crimper". The resulting crimp is totally secure and looks good too!
In fairness to Lion, the method illustrated in their catalogue pre-dates the addition of the "Super Crimper" into their catalogue, so it might have been good advice at the time. The Super Crimper is a good buy if you want very tight secure crimps with the 1mm diameter kwik-wire and it's really built to last, but you may want to experiment with the best ferrule size to get the neatest crimp.
As my original intention was to copy a stunning brass wire job I'd seen on a frame from a up-market London framer. I am still trying to do this and have invested in yet another crimping tool and some thicker brass wire also. This particular crimper works in a different way and having wider jaws will crimp all along the full length of the ferrule in one go! At the same time it also helps maintain a rounder profile to the ferrule. When it arrives I try it out and if it's good, I'll post some details.
In fairness to Lion, the method illustrated in their catalogue pre-dates the addition of the "Super Crimper" into their catalogue, so it might have been good advice at the time. The Super Crimper is a good buy if you want very tight secure crimps with the 1mm diameter kwik-wire and it's really built to last, but you may want to experiment with the best ferrule size to get the neatest crimp.
As my original intention was to copy a stunning brass wire job I'd seen on a frame from a up-market London framer. I am still trying to do this and have invested in yet another crimping tool and some thicker brass wire also. This particular crimper works in a different way and having wider jaws will crimp all along the full length of the ferrule in one go! At the same time it also helps maintain a rounder profile to the ferrule. When it arrives I try it out and if it's good, I'll post some details.
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Not your average framer
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My other crimp tool arrived today, so I tried in out. It is packaged as a Silverline product, (Silverline are an import business rather like Draper tools), the tool is probably made in China or somewhere similar.
It can't be considered as equal to the Lion "Super crimper" for quality of construction. The Super crimper (£70) appears to be drop-forged chrome-vanadium steel, but the Silverline ratchet crimp tool (£14.95) is fabricated from flat steel sections. You do get what you pay for, but the Silverline which is designed for automotive and electrical crimping is still very effective and produces a very neat well rounded crimp.
With the Silverline, it is very important to chose the correct size of ferrule and to make enough passes through the ferrule to get a good best result. Under these conditions you will get a perfect and totally secure crimp, but only if you choose the right ferrule and nicely fill the ferrule with the required number of wire passes through it.
The Super crimper also produces the best appearance when you fill the furrule with wire, but will still work well when you don't fill the ferrule quite so much. Lion's claims for this being the tool for the job are well founded.
In my own opinion Kwik-wire is particularly well suited to the Super crimper, but where the neatest crimp is the most important factor, the Silverline does the neatest crimp. However, for the most crunching power the Super crimper wins - No contest! I am very pleased I got both and I will the Super crimper for Kwik-wire and the Silverline ratchet crimper for everything else. I hope this comparison is helpful to some.
It can't be considered as equal to the Lion "Super crimper" for quality of construction. The Super crimper (£70) appears to be drop-forged chrome-vanadium steel, but the Silverline ratchet crimp tool (£14.95) is fabricated from flat steel sections. You do get what you pay for, but the Silverline which is designed for automotive and electrical crimping is still very effective and produces a very neat well rounded crimp.
With the Silverline, it is very important to chose the correct size of ferrule and to make enough passes through the ferrule to get a good best result. Under these conditions you will get a perfect and totally secure crimp, but only if you choose the right ferrule and nicely fill the ferrule with the required number of wire passes through it.
The Super crimper also produces the best appearance when you fill the furrule with wire, but will still work well when you don't fill the ferrule quite so much. Lion's claims for this being the tool for the job are well founded.
In my own opinion Kwik-wire is particularly well suited to the Super crimper, but where the neatest crimp is the most important factor, the Silverline does the neatest crimp. However, for the most crunching power the Super crimper wins - No contest! I am very pleased I got both and I will the Super crimper for Kwik-wire and the Silverline ratchet crimper for everything else. I hope this comparison is helpful to some.