Velvet Row Scissors
Used for cutting velvet strips. Sharp blades with a longer cutting edge can neatly cut aligned velvet rows along with the wire, preventing skewing. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of Ronghua enthusiasts, professional velvet scissors are now available on the market for consumers to purchase.
Basic Scissors For Cutting Velvet Rows
Huajia Ronghua Scissors - Artist Specific Long Scissors
Longhua Scissors - Handmade Artist Specific Long Scissors
Peach Ronghua Scissors 290 - Handmade Artist Specific Long Scissors
Friendly Reminder: Avoid overconfidence and sharpening the scissors arbitrarily. Silk thread demands extremely high sensitivity from the scissor blades. Self-sharpening can easily damage them; it’s advisable to entrust this task to a specialized craftsman. If you must sharpen them yourself for specific reasons, refer to the scissor sharpening tutorial in the latter part of this book.
Tapering Scissors
Scissors specifically designed for trimming velvet strips from a cylindrical shape to a spindle shape. Please note that these tapering scissors must not be used for any other purpose, as this could affect their tapering performance and make them unsuitable for further tapering of velvet strips.
Scissors For Tapering Velvet - Ronghua Tools
Scissors For Tapering Velvet - Ronghua Tools
Shaping Scissors
Both curved-head scissors or straight scissors can be used. Their primary purpose is to trim shaped petals, requiring sharp blades. (Note: The scissors mentioned here each have their specific uses. Do not mix them, such as using velvet row scissors to cut paper or fabric, or using tapering scissors to shape flattened petals. These actions can significantly reduce blade sensitivity or even render the scissors unusable.)
Upturned Scissors
Small Scissors
Used for cutting copper wire and stainless steel wire.
Nylon Pliers
Used to flatten the wire wrapped with silk thread, protecting the silk from scratches while ensuring even pressure.
Tweezers, Ruler, Rod
Tweezers are used for line bonding and assembly, a ruler for measurement, and a rod for twisting silk thread. (The author prefers using a wooden rod for twisting silk thread, but small, lightweight knitting needles can also be chosen.)
Twisting Board
Used to compact lines. Choose a board with a rough surface that hasn’t been overly polished. Beginners should avoid shortcuts like using electric pencil sharpeners. Practice with traditional tools to develop a feel and improve learning efficiency.
Wooden Tool For Twisting Brass Wire - Ronghua Tool
Clips
Consist of two large clips and several food-sealing clips. For large clips, choose heavy-duty steel clips with good gripping strength.
Ronghua Wooden Clip
Clip - Ronghua Tools
Ronghua Frame
Preferably choose an adjustable frame to accommodate silk threads of different lengths. You can also make your own Ronghua frame, a detailed tutorial is available on the website for reference.
If you just want to give Ronghua making a simple try, you can also use boxes filled with heavy objects and heavy books as a substitute for the Ronghua stand, as shown in the image above.
Bristle Brush
Only consider high-quality soft bristle brushes. Avoid purchasing indiscriminately: all-purpose brushes (prone to static), hard bristle brushes (prone to pilling and tangling), toothbrushes, shoe brushes, or brushes for other purposes.
Bristle Brush - Ronghua Tool
Hair Straightener and Protective Sheet
The straightener is used to flatten velvet sheets. Choose a high-quality, adjustable-temperature straightener for smooth, seamless results. The protective sheet safeguards the straightener's coating from scratches by the wire.
Electric Curling Iron and Thermal Insulation Tape - Ronghua Tool
Heat-Resistant Tool Wrap for Ronghua – Protect Your Curling Iron & Get Perfect Petals
Gas Stove and Grill Mesh
The former is for annealing brass wire, and the latter ensures even flame distribution. You can refer to this article for Brass wire Annealing.
Trimming Pot
Used to collect trimmed velvet fragments during tapering. Refer to later chapters for specific usage demonstrations.
Brush
Used for shaping floral pieces.
Lighter
Used for finishing silk thread ends.
Craft Cutting Mat / Leather Pad
Provides shock absorption and facilitates cutting velvet strips using the Northern school's supporting scissor method.
Textile Steel Comb (42 Teeth)
Used for separating and fluffing velvet silk.
Dual-Density Mini Needle Comb/Slicker for Ronghua & Bristle Brush Cleaning
Floral Iron / Flower Shaping Iron
Its working principle involves using a heated tip to soften flower petals, allowing them to be shaped. The petals gain better glossiness after heating. If you can shape the petals by hand, a floral iron is not necessary.
Ball Rod and Indentation Pen - Ronghua Tool
Yunjin Powder / Nail Art Glitter
Add these powders to the setting solution before shaping the velvet pieces, then apply to the petals to make them more sparkling.
Gold Leaf
Enhances the overall ambiance and adds texture to the floral design.
Metal Colored Leaf Flakes for Crafting - Gold, Silver, & Rose Gold
Snow Powder
Creates a snowy scene effect, adding artistic conception to the shape.
Dye
For self-dyeing, enabling free color customization of silk threads.
Metallic Pearlescent Solid Watercolor Paint Set for Ronghua Chanhua, Art & Crafts
Imitation Taihu Stone
Enhances the artistic conception of hairpins.
Silk Thread Display Rack
Used for hanging silk threads, facilitating easy color matching and access.
The tools and materials mentioned above are not all mandatory. If you simply want to try making Ronghua, prepare only the most basic tools and materials, as suggested in this article. However, for in-depth learning and achieving high-quality results, along with extensive practice, the tools and materials listed here are indispensable.
