This is driving me crackers, its now 2.30am! I've been asked to make a piece from a fair size lump that somebody (not me) formed by melting down old pieces of jewellery made from gold of every colour and purity there is. It had been cast into a nasty looking large solid heart shape. So, melted it down formed an ingot...... well it turns out this stuff is harder than some of my hammers!
I don't seem to be able to anneal it. I know that different golds have different annealing temps and cooling regimes - quite a range. I have tried quite a few times but just do not seem able to make it workable. It's metal, it must be annealable, but I'm stumped. Any suggestions? I really would prefer to make something rather than cast it.