How to Make Silverware Crosses

Use Vintage Dinner Knives to Make a Unique Cross

Mar 19, 2010
Melissa Howard

Silverware Cross - Melissa Howard

Use vintage dinner knives from the kitchen or from the thrift store to make a cross decoration.

The most popular recycling craft for vintage flatware is to turn it into wind chimes. If you want to reuse your flatware to make something different, unique, or more meaningful consider using the dinner knives to make a cross.

Supplies

Four vintage dinner knives
Pipe cutter
Drill
Heavy duty adhesive
Binder clips
Florist wire in color of choice
Watch, pendant, or button
Luggage key
Wire cutter
Steel die set
Hammer
Jute twine, ribbon, or bead chain

Instructions

Clean your knives.
Lay them out and determine how to put them together to make a proportional cross.
Determine where the knives need to overlap and use a marker to mark the cut lines that will remove the excess blade from the knives.
Use the pipe cutter to cut the knives at the cut lines. Note: It is important to wear eye protection as the knife tips sometimes fly lose.
Drill a hole through the handle of the knife that will be at the top of the cross.
Use the heavy duty adhesive to glue the two cross beams together. Use binder clips to clamp the pieces together. Note: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for how to glue and how long to allow the glue to dry.
Use florist’s wire to wrap the crossbeams of the cross together.
If possible, run the wire through the pendant or watch. If not, glue the pendant or watch to the cross section of the cross.
Use the steel die set to stamp an appropriate word or saying on your key. Steel die letter sets are simple but not necessarily easy to use. Pick the letter you wish to engrave. Place it squarely against the metal where you want to create the impression. Hit it firmly with a hammer 3-5 times. Remove the die. If the impression is unclear, you may be able to improve it by carefully setting the die into the existing impression and hitting the die again.
Run twine through the hole at the top of the cross. String key on the twine.

Ideas and Suggestions

A thrift store is an excellent place to find vintage flatware.
Luggage keys are often found with old luggage at the thrift store, if you collect old luggage for storage purposes, remember to save the keys.
Thrift stores often sell old jewelry in bulk for a discounted price. These bulk containers are a good source for embellishments for many of your craft projects.
These crosses will make excellent decorations for religious holidays such as Christmas or Easter or can be used for inspiration throughout the year.
To make your cross even more decorative, use tulle or ribbon to drape around it.
Make a Silverware Lamp using the spoons or forks if your knives are part of a set.