Blocking wire

When I was making 12th scale miniatures I found that if you keep your eyes open, you find all sorts of interesting things which can be kit-bashed into something completely different.

So I started following my husband into bloke-shops, and found lots of treasures (hackle pliers at fishing shops were my fave find).

We live in a rural area, and the local bloke-shops are practical, not pretty. I wandered into the welding section, and lo and behold - blocking wires!! Couldn't believe it. (I had resigned myself to slowly saving up for expensive ones from the USA.) After some restrained shrieks of delight, I bought these, to some odd looks from the man at the checkout.

Their description is 'stainless steel tig wire' which comes in one-metre lengths. The two gauges in the photo are 1.6mm (the thicker ones, for heavier blocking - these bend as far as a half-circle), and 1mm (for lace - these ones are more flexible, and can bend into a circle). - $1.25 and 60cents per wire respectively.
You'll need to wash them in warm detergenty water to remove the manufacturing oils, before you use them.

Any welding supplies source should have these.

In my jewellery supplies I've also found some 1mm tiger tail wire for really flexible curvy blocking.

Glenda