Crimp beads are a staple of bead stringing projects. Crimps are used to finish the end of a piece of strung jewelry and to create a loop to which a clasp can be attached. Below we cover the basic technique of crimping with a tubed crimp bead. You can also buy rounded crimp beads, but the tubed crimps are far more popular and easier to work with. Note that we also have gold-filled crimp beads if you need to match with gold beads. You will need a good pair of crimping pliers. Alternatively, you can use a crimp forming tool that will make your crimp look just like a rounded bead. The instructions below are for using a standard bead crimper.

1. Slip your crimp bead onto the end of the beading wire.

2. Form a loop in the wire by threading the wire back through the crimp, leaving a small amount of wire sticking through as a tail.

3. Position the crimp bead and wire in the second oval of the pliers and close the pliers around the bead firmly.

4. Then, position the crimp in the first oval and close the pliers around the crimp bead again. You should be compressing the bead into a rounded shape.

5. Make sure the wire is secure in the crimp, and then trimp off the excess wire. You should have a secure loop of wire for attaching your clasp.