Cat pendant.

[Katia]

Hi Emily!

Thank you very much for your kind words and I am glad you like the pendant, I certainly had a lot of fun making it and cannot wait to make more. Very excited to have it ready for my mum's birthday!

I am sure you are right about the files, I love them already.

Katia

[medusa]

it's probably a bit late now, but wouldn't tumbling help to work harden the metal a bit?

Interesting that piercing/filing don't work harden silver, but I wonder, is it easier to pierce or file silver which is annealed?

[Goldsmith]

it's probably a bit late now, but wouldn't tumbling help to work harden the metal a bit?

Interesting that piercing/filing don't work harden silver, but I wonder, is it easier to pierce or file silver which is annealed?

I would suggest that it's probably slightly easier to pierce and file hard silver, rather than annealed.
In technical terms when you anneal silver the molecules relax and when you work it the molecules contract, so when piercing or filing any molecular change will only be slight and on the pierced and filed extreme edges, to work harden a flat piece the whole surface must be worked.

James

[Dennis]

Quote Medusa[wouldn't tumbling help to work harden the metal a bit?]Quote

Quote Goldsmith[to work harden a flat piece the whole surface must be worked.]Quote

I've often wondered whether tumbling with plenty of round shot and hardly any soap would eventually work-harden a piece. I would do the experiment if I had a way of measuring my result. Dennis.

[Goldsmith]

I am sure that tumbling with round shot would have some hardening effect Dennis, as it is really like mechanical burnishing and burnishing does compress the surface of the metal and create some hardening in the process.
James

[medusa]

I would suggest that it's probably slightly easier to pierce and file hard silver, rather than annealed.
In technical terms when you anneal silver the molecules relax and when you work it the molecules contract, so when piercing or filing any molecular change will only be slight and on the pierced and filed extreme edges, to work harden a flat piece the whole surface must be worked.

James

That's useful to know, thank you, James.

[Katia]

Thanks for so much information again!

I must say that I have been able to find annealed, half hard and hard silver wire quite easily for sale in the UK.
On the other hand, maybe I am not looking properly, these options seems to be anavailable as far as sterling silver sheets are concerned.

A friend of mine said that he actually uses his rolling mill to harden the sheets. Problem is that at this stage, I do not have one of those yet.
Hammering the sheet with a raw hide mallet prior ti sawing... Well, I will first try on my brass sheets and see what happens to the metal ( will I mark it, et ...)
Maybe tumbling would be the best option but I have no idea how much those machines cost!

[Wallace]

Lovely kitty Katia...

Ultimately like already mentioned, annealed is best. I now use my mill to get the desired effect but have been known to take delron type hammer to make all those little atoms move about and firm up the metal. Work hardening does also happen too, but that is mostly on the coiling and wire wrapping. Sheet metal is a weird one, my desperate crafting buddy tried rolling her silver metal sandwiched between some brass sheets with her car.... Seriously folks, do not try this at home!

[Katia]

Erm, Wallace, this is not what James said though!

I would suggest that it's probably slightly easier to pierce and file hard silver, rather than annealed.

James

I am a bit lost now, or maybe my understanding of English really is abysmal.

PS : ha! "Slightly easier "... Ok, slightly.

PPS " with her car?" ok, now I need to buy a car!

[Wallace]

Erm, Wallace, this is not what James said though!



I am a bit lost now, or maybe my understanding of English really is abysmal.

PS : ha! "Slightly easier "... Ok, slightly.

lol - I was using my ipad earlier and spaces don't always happen, when I did a deletion change it took away the bit that said " hardened not annealed is best" (on my ipad it came out as "hardenedpnot annealed is best") I didn't mean to confuse you - I thought I had corrected it.

PS - if you add a very small amount of almond oil to the blade, that may help, if not, it is great for the hands?

PPS did your mum like her present? I am sure she was very happy.