I have to disagree about the sterling silver wire. Most of my work is made on headpins that I wire wrap into a bigger piece. I have made a complete collar of sterling silver glass headpins, using 21 gauge silver, which used about 90 headpins. Just be careful to only flash the wire in the flame to heat and then add the glass and keep the heat on the glass. I have used steel, copper and sterling in my work. And I love my bellflower presses. I think the best that I have used is the 16mm, 5 point but all of them are great