DIY Making Your Own Bullet Jewelry

Making your own jewelry from recycled bullets can be a very unique project.  I have spent lots of time a the firing range looking down at the ground at all the shiny brass thinking what happens to all of it when we leave.  I know once fired brass is reloaded and used again, but there is something about seeing it laying in the dirt that makes me think it should be proudly worn and what better way than by making jewelry.

The hardest part about making bullet jewelry is cutting the bullet or drilling a hole in it so that it can  be attached to a pair of earrings or made into a pendant.  Personally, I like it when thin slices are made by cutting off the head leaving the stamp of the type of bullet like Remington, Federal, or Winchester.  Seeing the used primer and maker of the bullet gives great character to the jewelry piece.  That is why I prefer slices.  However, another great way to make jewelry (especially a bullet jewelry pendant) is to simply cut a hole thru the bullet casing and put a string or chain thru it.

There are lots of decorations that can easily be added to your jewelry piece.  There are Swarovski Crystals, or charms like deer or feathers that make great compliments to a piece of recycled jewelry.  Personally, My favorite is just a simple pair of stud earrings.  I get my post backings from www.WholesaleBulletJewelry.com they sell them really cheap something like $4.99 for 20.  Thats enough to make 10 pairs of simple earrings. 

Assembly is quick and easy.  Using a glue like E6000 is easy to work with and dries slow enough that you dont have to rush but quick enough that you can easily move your crystals or items into place before they set too strong.  I use a piece of styrofoam to stick my newly created pieces into while they dry.  By using a block of styrofoam, I can make sure the piece sits upright and doesnt slide while it dries.  It is easy to put multiple pieces in the same block of foam.

After the assembly glue process, I like to polish my bullet jewelry by taking Tarn-x or some other kind of brass or silver polish and gently rubbing it on with a paper towel.  This takes all the tarnish off and makes my new piece of jewelry shine like it is brand new.  Because brass tarnishes over time I find that I have to re-polish my jewelry pieces every 6 months or so that way they can continue to shine.

Only I know the secret that my earrings were once inside a gun at the firing range.  I have made some very unique designs that I get lots of attention from.  I just love bragging that I made my own jewelry.

I have even sold a few pieces on ebay and been very impressed with the profits.  There are lots of people making bullet jewelry, but I personally only wear my own designs.