I won't pretend that this is for the beginner. You must have some experience with silversmithing tools - namely a piercing frame, soldering small bits of silver to larger pieces, and use of files. You will also need a basic silversmithing tool kit of:

• A piercing frame and saw blades (2)
• 2.0 flat file
• 2.0 crossing file
• silver soldering equipment
• bench peg

The key to good frames are silver coin mounts - they are made the same way to hold coins as the first frames were jigged to hold lenses. They come in a variety of sizes and for a variety of thicknesses. I got mine from Cookson Precious Metals.

The spectacles I aimed to make are early period, 1550, simple one bar across the nose, tied to the face by string looped around the ears.

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