Is Reflections silver suitable for anticlastic bangle?

Have just made my first anticlastic bangle out of copper and although it's not perfect (I believe the word I'm looking for is "organic") I want to have a go at making one in silver.

I've taken the curve as far as I can so that the ends meet up along the outer edges (like a copper pipe curved into a bangle) so I needed to anneal lots of times. In order to try and avoid firescale I thought I would use reflections silver rather than sterling. However, I've just been on the cookies website and it says that reflections silver is harder than sterling.

Does this mean that the reflections silver will need to be annealed more frequently than sterling? And is more frequent annealing and hammerming likely to cause it to become brittle?

If I use sterling instead of reflections, then presumably I should use a firescale protector? I only use borax cone at the moment, so slathering it in borax flux each time I anneal will be a bit of a pain. Is it worth the effort trying to avoid it or would a good work out with yellow radial disks to get rid of firescale be quicker.

I used .7mm copper for the original bangle. Same in silver or can I cut the cost down and use .6mm?

Lots of questions, sorry. But even with silver having dropped in price a little, it'll still cost over £30 to make so I'd rather not buy the Reflections if its going to be problematic.

Thanks, Susie

It's a little bit harder in use, but not by much. I do feel it work hardens more quickly - and therefore needs more frequent annealing - but that's the flipside to no firestain forming. No brittleness issues.

If you're using sterling, then Argotect or FM solution/Prips helps - or just accept it's going to happen & sand it out as part of the finishing process. You could plate over it, but I feel that's cheating!
0.6mm should be fine for a bangle - I usually use 0.9, but I tend to over-engineer things. It's also more entertaining forming the thicker gauges.

Thanks Peter. More entertaining for whom forming thicker gauges? Presumably in the forming as the metal is being squashed it will thicken anyway.

Anyway, after a traumatic two hours of technophobia I have finally managed to (a) work out how to take a photo using my phone; (b) found out how to connect it to aol - only achievable when standing right next to the wireless router; (c) send myself an email with an attachment (d) had a minor hissy fit at some message about a free 14 day trial for orangemail which I have NO IDEA how I managed to sign up for and as the phones in my oh's name he'll have to sort that one out as they won't speak to me (e) load the photo from email onto my netbook and, fingers crossed, (f) upload it here. There must be an easier way, if only I could understand the gobbledygook.

Anyway, I sincerely hope it works. If not, then you're missing a photo of my very first attempt at an anticlastic copper bangle, with random holes drilled along the seamline by way of design feature, nothing to do with camoflaging the wobbly seam line at all. It's already been christened, unkindly in my opinion, the "flying saucer".

On the upside, I had lots of fun making it and can't wait to get going on the next one.

Attachment 4753

Susie

I am glad someone else gets names given to "proud of it" items. When I first started about 4 years ago, when the classes had finished and I had got a basic grasp of silversmithing, I made a lily with long stamens pendant, which I was very proud of and have had lots of lovely comments from other people by the way, my 40 year old daughter said "oh you are wearing your cow bell" how insulting is that.

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Originally Posted by susieq

Thanks Peter. More entertaining for whom forming thicker gauges?

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Well, I enjoy it... You need a bit more force to get the metal to move, but not so much that you put too many hammer marks in.

Your seem doesn't look all that wobbly from the photo - so either it wasn't as bad as you thought or the holes do a really good job of camouflaging it!

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Originally Posted by Patstone

I am glad someone else gets names given to "proud of it" items. When I first started about 4 years ago, when the classes had finished and I had got a basic grasp of silversmithing, I made a lily with long stamens pendant, which I was very proud of and have had lots of lovely comments from other people by the way, my 40 year old daughter said "oh you are wearing your cow bell" how insulting is that.

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I'm sorry, I had to laugh at that! Though at 40 she perhaps ought to know better :)

Especially as I was close to her too!!!!

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Originally Posted by medusa

I'm sorry, I had to laugh at that! Though at 40 she perhaps ought to know better :)

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Lol, I think cow bell tops flying saucer!

I remember many years ago one of my mother's friends showing me a ring she had made in a jewellery class. It was beautiful and I said it looked as good as shop bought, which was meant as a compliment to her craftsmanship but was taken as a great insult. Fortunately, I found out that looks don't kill .....