Greetings and a question

[jings]

Hi to all, I did make some earings some years ago but I now have more time so intend to have a serious go at making some jewellery. I have a question though. One of my first projects will be to make some plectrum pendants using clay but I also want them to be useable as plectrums. Silver being a soft metal they won't survive striking steel guitar strings without sustaining some serious scratching so I reckon that by treating the bottom third with coloured enamel I can get round that. But which would be the most durable and hard wearing enamel to use?
Thanks in advance folks

[MuranoSilver]

:welcome: to the forum :)
Silver Picks are generally more for decoration than playing as they dont have the flex of the normal ones.
Think you'd just have to live with scratches OR maybe make a outside silver edge which surrounds a standard pick
(the standard pick could poke out of the bottom and be the bit that hits the strings)
If you treat the bottom half with enamel you'll probably find it will chip off...

nic x

[mizgeorge]

Actually, sterling silver picks are durable, and widely used - they can produce a very different (brighter) sound to nylon picks.

They're generally only 0.6mm in thickness, and I believe are heat hardened - they're certainly pretty rigid. Metal clay (or fine silver in any other form) would never be hard enough, and would also be very fragile at that thickness.

hth.

[ps_bond]

I had a bit of a google and found quite a lot of sterling ones - even some with enamel on, which surprised me; I had assumed that they'd all flex too much for the enamel to stay put.

I also found a claim that Brian May - sorry, *Dr* May, he worked for it, ought to give him the correct title :) - uses a silver sixpence as a plectrum.

[MuranoSilver]

I take it all back *touches forelock* & my old guitar teacher knows nothing
(then again I was rubbish so he was still better than me, lol)
Still dubious about the enamel staying the course though
let us know how you get on if you do tests :)
Nic x

[ps_bond]

I take it all back *touches forelock* & my old guitar teacher knows nothing

More than me though, the violin was always my weapon of choice.
I probably just liked getting pizzicato.

[jings]

Thanks for the responses. I'll experiment a bit and let you know how it goes. Quite correct about Brian May and his sixpences but I think the only silver about them is the colour. As with most coins of the realm in the 20th century they were an alloy. Incidentally he made his own guitar using the wood from a fireplace.

[Di Sandland]

I'm pretty sure Geti knows a thing or two about silver picks (or was that titanium?) - I suspect he'll answer anyway.

I was dismissed by my violin teacher after failing to improve beyond twinkle twinkle little star :(

[ps_bond]

...I think the only silver about them is the colour.

Hmph. So I see. Sterling until 1920, 50% until 1946 - then cupro-nickel.
That's spoiled my memories of hunting for the silver coin in the Christmas pudding!

[Gemma]

More than me though, the violin was always my weapon of choice.
I probably just liked getting pizzicato.

Mine too!! Always loved pizzicato polka we used to play at String Orchestra!


I was dismissed by my violin teacher after failing to improve beyond twinkle twinkle little star
What!?!?! Really?!?!!? Rubbish teacher then IMO.

...

Oh and :welcome: jings! Sorry, got a bit sidetracked by a couple of old obsessions of mine (violining and teaching)

[Di Sandland]

What!?!?! Really?!?!!? Rubbish teacher then IMO.

Yup, really

[bustagasket]

well i am no help at all cos my weapon was the oboe, no bloody picks used there just cheek busting reeds!