Enter The Dragon

**metalsmith** · 26-12-2014, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by Dennis

As for annealing saw blades, if you have bought a batch of blades and they keep breaking, you can make them more usable, by a quick flick with the mini-torch while in the frame, but not highly tensioned and then air cooling.

For silver, there is hardly any difference in sharpness or longevity, but they don't snap so much.

Sorry, Dennis, that is what I was meaning, since I've not yet worn out my first blade, 'longevity' hasn't been an issue any other than snapping for me.

Carlton mentioning the blades as 'brittle' switched on the light-bulb. A geologist by training, I'm equally at home to the idea of rocks being quenched as metals, so when I read Carlton's entry I thought why not? A quick flick is probably right as too hot would soften the metal saw blades increasing their ductility and therefore whilst they wouldn't snap, they would probably dull more quickly.

Chas

**metalsmith** · 26-12-2014, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by Moon Willow

I purchased this wonder stuff a few years back and I haven't really used it until I did the dragon cuff ... has been lying around for a month on my sideboard and it's still bright]

Thanks for that. I have one or two pieces in copper or copper / silver; I tried Renaissance wax but that seemed to dull things very quickly contrary to my expectation