French Wire
comes in four sizes, Fine, Medium, Heavy and X-Heavy. It is fine guage coiled wire that acts as a safeguard to prevent clasps from "wearing on" or "cutting through" silk and other bead cords. It also provides a nicer, more professional appearance to your finished piece.
Depending on the size of the jump ring or clasp, use approximately 1/8" to 3/8" (3mm-9mm) on knotted or unknotted strands, adjusting length longer or shorter to suit your design . Cut two equal lenghts of French Wire so both ends match. The proper size French Wire should slide easily, but not loosely, on the stringing material.
Fine French
Wire has an ID (inside diameter) of .060mm (.024") and should be used
with:
Silk Thread sizes
0-4
Twice Threaded
Dandyline sizes XF, F, M, H
Twice Threaded Nymo
sizes B & C
and other cord up
to size .06mm
Medium French Wire has an ID (inside
diameter) of .070mm (.028") and should be used with:
Silk Thread sizes
0-6
Twice Threaded
Dandyline sizes XF, F, M, H, XH
Twice Threaded Nymo
sizes B, C, D, E, F
and other cord up
to size .07mm
Heavy French Wire has an ID (inside diameter)
of .080mm (.032") and should be used with:
Silk Thread sizes
0-8
Twice Threaded
Dandyline sizes XF, F, M, H, XH
Twice Threaded Nymo
sizes B, C, D, E, F
and other cord up
to size .08mm
X-HeavyFrench Wire has an ID (inside diameter)
of .090mm (.035") and should be used with:
Silk Thread sizes
0-10
Twice Threaded
Dandyline sizes XF, F, M, H, XH
Twice Threaded Nymo sizes
B, C, D, E, F, FFF
and other cord up
to size .09mm