A penny sawed is a penny earned
August 14, 2019 2:53 PM   Subscribe

Canadian artist Micah Adams uses a jeweller’s saw to surgically disassemble coins into tiny clippings, collages and collections. More at designlines.
posted by oulipian (15 comments total) 40 users marked this as a favorite
 
Incredible
posted by supermedusa at 3:42 PM on August 14, 2019 [2 favorites]


I have a little charm somewhere that was cut from an old coin in the same way - not sure what coin, but it's a perching bird of prey. I love it, but it's got nothing on these! Totally cool. Thanks for sharing this!
posted by showbiz_liz at 3:54 PM on August 14, 2019 [3 favorites]


I love the pile of crowns in his palm.
posted by 41swans at 3:57 PM on August 14, 2019 [2 favorites]


These are cool. I would wear a owl cutout.
posted by BlueHorse at 4:57 PM on August 14, 2019


Adams has an impressive level of skill with that hand saw. His eyesight must be pretty good, too!
posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 6:03 PM on August 14, 2019


Beautiful. I would totally wear tiny jewelry made from coin cutouts.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 11:51 PM on August 14, 2019


So beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
posted by RandomInconsistencies at 12:14 AM on August 15, 2019


Beautiful. I would totally wear tiny jewelry made from coin cutouts.

I want that handful of copper maple leaves to be an actual thing you could buy. There are so many craft project that suggest themselves to me.
posted by Eleven at 2:38 AM on August 15, 2019 [2 favorites]


I tried coin cutting and was amazed how straightforward it is. You really just need time and patience and a lot of spare blades.

But this Micah has such creativity and whimsy: the mobile of birds is so charming!
posted by wenestvedt at 2:58 AM on August 15, 2019


I want that handful of copper maple leaves to be an actual thing you could buy.

RIGHT!? I wants them.

He sells earrings made out of them on his Etsy page. And tie-tacks out of the beaver from a nickel which I want even though I don't wear ties.
posted by jacquilynne at 8:52 AM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]


Also, if there was a charm bracelet with the polar bear, loon, moose, bluenose and beaver (and ideally the maple leafs from the penny), I would buy it so fast...

I mean, probably I would look at the $500 price tag and think 'I wish I could buy that' and then not actually buy it. But nonetheless, it should exist and I wants it.
posted by jacquilynne at 8:56 AM on August 15, 2019 [4 favorites]


Oh man, that's good stuff.
posted by cortex at 10:41 AM on August 15, 2019


I was curious about the tools he's using, so I googled them and came across this starter set on Amazon. Behold the funniest product description I've ever read:

An ideal entry-level system for cutting thin sheet metal for jewelry designs
The jeweler's saw has a 3" throat and is adjustable in height from 1" to 7"
The hardwood bench block easily clamps to any edge surface up to 1.75" thick
You're going to want to buy some beeswax or some burr life to use on the saw blades, though. I don't know why they'd put together an entry-level kit and not include something to wax the blades with. It really makes the cutting on metal sheets go much smoother, particularly with copper.


Yes, that's all a direct quote.
posted by jacquilynne at 11:28 AM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]


If any of you admire this stuff, it's worth trying yourself! Order a saw & a big pack of blades, and get some coins: Irish & Canadian ones have good animals.

I took an Irish punt, cut out the background so the Giant Irish Elk was standing clear, and then forced it into a shallow circle carved into a board. With the wood lightly oiled and some rubber feet, it made a sweet trivet, and the people I gave it to said they loved it. (I also saw it in use at their house, so.) I think it took maybe a couple of hours of work all told, and looked pretty cool.
posted by wenestvedt at 12:18 PM on August 15, 2019 [1 favorite]


Have you seen Roman Booteen's work?
posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat at 6:17 PM on August 28, 2019 [1 favorite]


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