QuestionI am trying to make a pendant out of a piece of silver plated silverware...a fork/spoon handle and I need to make a bend in the material. I read that the way to do that would be to use the annealing process. However, I am not sure what kind of flux I should be using, if there is more than one kind and where I might find it to purchase. Also, would the flux need to dry before I heat the spoon handle? I purchased some flux they use for welding purposes, would that work. It is a cream.
I would appreciate any advise on how I might be able to make a bend in the spoon handle and what type and where I might purchase this flux. Also, will I need a product to clean it off?
I hope you can understand my questions.
Thank you.
Colleen Malecek
AnswerHello Colleen,
Yes a firecoat is needed to anneal as silver is notorious for fire staining. All you need do is mix boric acid with methyl alcohol in a vessel with a non-metallic lid that closes tightly. Add the boric acid to about a pint of alcohol ( denatured methyl alcohol is available at any paint or hardware or home store) until the alcohol will not absorb any more and .mix to a cream like consistency then dip the warmed piece in, warm again to dry with your torch OR spray it on with a sprayer bottle after warming to build successive protective layers. If you don't want to make your own buy Cupronil- it is a fire coat and flux in one. Then anneal. Cupronil is a great product and is available from most jewelry suppliers or me- I sell it to my students all the time for silver.It's based on a Hopi recipe and works outstandingly for silver.
Problem though , you have silverplate.Be careful as if it is standard plate it will melt off. so a kiln is a better way to go.If no kiln is available, just make sure you have a really good layer of protection built up before you heat it.
Use a vise with safe jaws for bending , a small tube bender ( available in the plumbing dept. in a hardware or from harbor freight tools), or using a bracelet mandrel which can be made from a wooden baseball bat- if you saw it into three parts you'll have a forming stake, and 2 mandrels to use...all cheaper than buying a metal mandrel in the long run. Use a rawhide mallet to form it on any mandrel and if you are using a vise, use nylon jawed pliers or get some "plasti-dip" in a can- not the spray on type and coat your tools to prevent them marring any work ( leave some un-coated though in your collection!).There is also a product called jett-set (or friendly plastic), it comes in small granules and can be formed around any tool to make it non-marring .to use it you simple submerge the stuff in hot water and when soft , remove from the water work relatively fast and form away ( a great way to customise grips on gravers, tools, etc.) Jett-sett brand can be found through most jewelry suppliers or on line. If it hardens before you are satisfied reheat the water and try again until it is right for your purposes.
There are also some DIY videos on you tube , make magazine and about.com to name a few that cover the process and I believe art jewelry magazine has down loadable and printed instructions available on line as well if not in their archives as I recently saw the process directions in a magazine of that nature.
I hope that answers your questions.Good luck! A word of caution though, the market is currently flooded with them, so if you are thinking of starting a business making them, I would advise against it, or advertise as a way to preserve one's heirloom pattern, or make gifts for a family from a relative's old pattern, or collection playing up the sentimental value of the piece..Try and use real silver though and you'll have better results as with plate and not knowing its density ( plating is a thin film on a base metal) it is quite easy to have a melt-down!
Hope this is what you were looking for.
Best Regards, Ari
