What I Have Learned About Filigree.

[mizgeorge]

I have a feeling the two pairs are very similar in construction. The tungsten ones I use are designed to be held in a pretty hot flame for fairly extended periods of time. I have to say, they are my absolute favourites and were well worth the money.

[ps_bond]

The ones I have look like cheap crosslock tweezers with tungsten rods bolted in the ends; they're good at heat, but the flex on them means they aren't as effective at clamping pieces as I'd like.
The problem with platinum - according to all the literature, I've no experience to back it up - is the contamination of the metal by pretty much every other metal. Like lead & silver, but with everything...
I've not hit that as yet, hence the "no experience to back it up" - I'm being fairly diligent in avoiding the possibility.

[Dennis]

What about ceramic tips then Peter?

http://www.eurofindings.com/Results?q=tweezers

[Patstone]

I can hear you Georgie, I have just ordered the ones from Cookies that you suggested.

I think I'm having a "can anybody actually hear me" moment...

[Icarleug]

I asked the guy making the filigree ring, Guido Graeff, about his tweezers and he basically said he had ground down a pair of regular ones to the length and width he liked working with.

All in all there is a ton of nice information at his website: http://www.goldleim.de/index.html including how to make a tool for making nice border wires and a sort of brazing flux for fusing (good for fine silver and gold filigree) using burnt chrysocolla and water.

It is all in German though, and he is helpful if asked questions (but still answers in German, so understanding of the language or a handy translator is needed).

Still, it is a really nice site with tons of free information.

/Andreas

[Dennis]

Thanks,I bookmarked it to view at leisure, when I can find my German Dictionary. As you will see above, I simply made my own tweezers from a bit of brass. Dennis.