• You will choose a stone from hundreds, and it will be furnished to you at no extra cost!
• You will design your own piece, but I recommend designing a ring.
• You will be supplied with all the tools, supplies, and sterling silver!
• You will design and solder your sterling silver project!
• You will set your stone and polish your sterling silver project!
• You will learn all the basic techniques of silversmithing and goldsmithing in this five week class.

1. I use nothing but hard silver solder, I never use medium and only use easy for repairs.
2. I use nothing but sheet solder, and I use a lot of it by using large pieces. I do not use tiny snippets.
3. I spray on a liquid flux.
4. I teach students to use a $10.00 propane torch from Ace Hardware. It is the worst torch to use for silversmithing, but it is the best torch to learn how to solder.
5. You will be amazed at the simple technique I teach to make a bezel.
6. I teach that you really only need two files for silversmithing: a 6 inch Bastard file and a 1/2 round jeweler's file.
7. I teach that you can use an inexpensive grinder to make a great buffer (You do need to control the dust, and I will show you how.)
8. I do not heat my pickle, and I will tell you why. I will tell you about experiments with a steel bolt left in the pickle, silver left in the pickle, and copper left in pickle for very long periods of time.
9. I do not use liver of sulfur.
10. I do not worry at all about fire scale (or fire coat).
11. I never use rouge to polish silver jewelry, only White Diamond and Zam. I will teach you why!

Two Locations For Your Convenience

One fully equipped classroom in Boulder, Colorado
One fully equipped classroom in Loveland, Colorado

You will be taught how to do all this by a professional silversmith with over 20 years experience. Don Norris has a BS in Education and an MS in Vocational Education from Kansas State University in Pittsburgh, Kansas. He has taught in public schools for 13 years and has taught private classes for 17 years. He has won numerous honors for his jewelry throughout his silversmithing experience.

Please peruse this web site to see examples of work from some of my students. You can also read some of the online classes I have written and posted here for free. Make sure to follow the link that leads to class descriptions. There you will find descriptions of some of the other classes I teach. Included are: Advanced Silversmithing, Silver Casting, Chip Inlay, Opal Cutting, and many others.

I can also travel and will teach weekend classes anywhere!

Here is a list with descriptions of a few other classes I can teach.

If you are interested in signing up for this or another class, please email me at:

An Online Class for Beginners or Anyone That Enjoys Jewelry or Jewelry Making, including Experienced Silversmiths.