Whispy looking shards

[Sherry Bellamy]

I save up all of my ends and broken bits of silvered ivory, and make my shards from a big blob of dark ivory that I roll in the silvered bits. I cover it really, really thickly, actually several layers deep. Then I cook it quite violently...boil the surface....reduce it, etc. until it's incredibly gnarly looking.

Then I blow the shards. I get some pretty funky shards that way, and I use every molecule of my SIS. I don't make a hollow, I just blow out the solid blob with no problems.

[Ilona]

I think I am going to have to try my hand at making shards I have bought mine in the past, but making your own sounds fun

[Chameleon]

making your own is great fun  highly recommend it

[firedinglass]

I've never even tried to make a hollow bead   but fancy trying my hand at making shards  it looks fun and as a bonus I'm thinking of all the money I'll save...    Do I just need the hollow mandrel that Martin sells for making hollow beads/vessels?  Do you think i need to practice with the beads first or just go for it! 

[turnedlight]

I still haven't done this since discovering, in a real 'der' moment, that you don't use any bead release on the end!

[Pandanimal]

I love the look of the beads made with shards.
But being a bit of a noob at lampwork still I feel I need a "blow by blow" (he he) tutorial of how to do it.
Does such a thing exist?
Will any hollow pipe/mandrel do? 
I have a birthday coming up soon and would like to get my hints dropped to D.H. so he can buy me the right sort.

Pan