Skippy’s Chain Tool 

I am always looking for new tool to make but it has to be unique. I am not interested in permutations of existing tools and the tool has to have a novel process and product that will appeal to people. After many disappointing years Skippys tool came along. The tools elegance lies in its simplicity, both the process and product are fun.

The chains tool’s roots come from the West Virginia glass factory scene. The true name of its inventor is forgotten to time but we know he went by the nickname Skippy.

One day after a long but successful shift, Skippy pulled out a bottle of whisky and a bizarre looking tool and invited Ian Sylvia who was a visiting artist to stay after hours and have some fun. Ian had no idea what the tool was and then Skippy explained its use. The whiskey flowed as well as the chain links and a long chain began to form in a pile under the tool.

By the end of the night, or possibly early morning, they had made a chain that stretched across the factory floor. After catching hell from his wife, Skippy realized the chain tool had gotten him into too much trouble and not the whiskey, so he gifted the tool to Ian. It sat in a tool box forgotten, for almost 20 years when a friend decided to figure out how to use it.

The steps to use it are quite simple as long as yo have good control over the glass (watch the video).  

Step #1 First you take a gather and shape it to make a handle. The temperature has to be correct so when you pull the tip of the glass, the gather stretches evenly.



Step #2 Pull out the glass and wrap it around the chain tool that is clamped to your bench arm or marver. The secret is to stick the tip of the loop against the moil and quickly squeeze the two sides of the loop with a diamond shear and cut the glass at the top of the new link with a smooth flowing motion. Let the glass link cool for a few minutes. With two two tweezers reposition the link you just made so it is resting in the two notches on the tool and caught under the metal lip on the other side. This will hold the link up so the bit can be dropped through it to create the next link.



Step #3 Then take another gather and repeat the steps as the first link, with the exception that you must begin forming the link by dropping the length of glass through the first link and then flip it around the bottom of the tool and cut it to form a link in one swoop. Take too long with pulling out the glass to the correct length and you will not get a good cut. Go too fast and it will distort, but once you get the flow down, you are part of the chain gang"



Link Joiner. When using this tool put both links at the end of the chain in the notch with the ends under the lip on the other side. Repeat step #1,#2.#3

Aside from making lengths of chain and necklaces, you can use the tools to join champagne glasses by creating a link around each stem and joining those links together.

Because the glass is being pulled, you can poke the nose of the annealing gods and get away with not annealing the chain. However it is recommended that you anneal it when finished, especially is it is going to be sold to an adoring fan.