Cones and buttons

Lampworked glass cones and buttons

A couple of years ago I bought a pair of Kim Osibin cone mandrels and a pair of Heather Trimlett button mandrels. They hung around my studio for awhile before I decided that I needed to try and make something with them. My first buttons were kind of a disaster, I had trouble centering the hot glass on the double prongs and I had a hard time getting them off the mandrel, I even had to use a hammer to remove the blobs of glass. Back to the can they went to collect dust for awhile. I had similar results with the cone mandrel, a bit of frustration and then back to the can they went. Months later I returned to the mandrels but this time with more pleasing results. Now I want to get more of these odd shaped tools to form glass upon. I haven't made anything with either of these shapes yet but I have plenty of ideas for pendants, necklaces, bracelets and knit wear or other fiber wear.