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Thread: Missed Opportunity?

  1. #1
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    Default Missed Opportunity?

    Hi Cooksons peeps!

    I was thinking of taking advantage of your freepost and ordering up various bits of Argentium to have a play with... I have had a flick through the on line Argentium pages and got thoroughly disenchanted...

    As you are the only supplier we are likely to deal with...the only one in the UK...and as Argentium is so new and so different to work and everybody wants information about it...why haven't you got any information about the Argentium products you stock?? If I read once more that "Argentium Silver is harder than traditional sterling silver, meaning more durable jewellery and silverware...", I may do a mischief to my computer screen!! Where is your enthusiasm for your new Magic product?? I know you have technical information somewhere - but even that doesn't seem to have a one click link access...and when you get there it is just that ...technical!

    As you have a dedicated section to Argentium, and you are trying to promote the product, couldn't you make that bit just a bit more informative and fun with the descriptions...hints and tips wise.. (Not all your customers who might buy Argentium are necessarily very experienced silver/goldsmiths...look on the forum - we are constantly asking each other what is recommended for 'this and that' - and that is for well known and understood sterling and copper!!)

    Examples of the sort of thing I mean are... What flux is recommended with the Argentium solder? Best solder to use to prevent sagging accidents? What to pickle in? What size holes are in the beads? Suggested uses for wire thicknesses...earwires?...bracelets? Since Argentium is so much stronger - how low can you go...what could you knit/crochet with and still maintain a shape? Maximum and minimum dimentions for a piece of sheet....etc, etc... And why not make a feature of your Multi-buy Discounts...I've totally missed that chart in the past!!

    And you could put an active link from the solders to the soldering tips for Argentium in your knowledgebase. And a general active link to the Argentium Article Search Results at the end of each item description.

    It would certainly make the Argentium buying process more interesting and helpful...and less soul destroying!!

    Anyway...I'm off to do battle again and pop a few things in my basket.... You haven't totally put me off!!! ...and I love you really!!

  2. #2
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    I made three Argentium rings last night...ooohh this stuff is NIIIIICE
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  3. #3
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    Go on then...spill!! What did you use...wire?...sheet? What solder did you use? What flux? Tell me...tell me do!!

    ...and where's the piccies??

    ...you know

  4. #4
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    They're just some simple understated band rings (to see how it worked or how it worked for me )
    I used D-band wire 3.2 x 1.6mm with easy paste solder. Arranged them into a D shape for soldering then heated until the solder melted.
    Waited a few seconds for the ring to cool (loved watching the germanium "skin" forming) then quenched them in water.
    I didn't pickle them but just flattened the solder seam. MAR-vel-OUS!!

    After that I bashed them round with a hide mallet and textured one with a fretz hammer.
    I left my favourite ball pein at the shop last night so I'll be giving that one a hammered finish later today.

    Here's the pics straight out of the tumbler.



    I found the metal a bit stiffer than sterling but apart from that and the less red colour it reached when soldering,
    similar to work with. I'll let you know as testing progresses. Need to buy some more wire and sheet to experiment with.
    Next plan is to see how it solders to fine silver AND mixed metals like bronze, copper & gold.

    Nic x
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  5. #5
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    They look great!

    Caroleallen just left a post on another thread saying she is having trouble getting her Argentium... Is there problems with getting it from Cooksons as far as you know? I'd hate to go through all the agonising, penny counting antics I go through before I buy only to find it's not in stock, like...forever!!

    D wire is definitely going into the basket though!!

  6. #6
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    I've just noticed...you are not using the Argentium solder then?? Any reason why??

  7. #7
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    will deffinately be buying sheet if there is no FIRESTAIN i hate firestain

  8. #8
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    Firestain is a bugger ain't it. Which gives rise to a probably very stupid question.

    If you can't solder all your bits until the piece is complete just how do you get rid of the firestain? You can't put semi-preciouses in pickle can you?
    Di x

  9. #9
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    Firestain comes from heating the metal the different components used to make silver rise to the surface (i am digging deep here into i very inadequate memory bank so feel free to jump in anytime) and cause the metal to darken and then when you buff or polish the surface is removed and leaves the brighter silver underneath but if you then have fiddly bits these are left with the firestain, the only way to remove is to buff with emery and polish

    oh and yes Di you can put semi's in pickle well i do
    Last edited by Emerald; 26-09-2009 at 08:59 AM.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Solunar Silver Studio View Post
    I've just noticed...you are not using the Argentium solder then?? Any reason why??
    I didn't have any in my solder collection & didn't realise it exhisted until I already had the wire
    With the bashing I gave these rings standard solders appear fine for strength though I guess will show up as slightly darker over time
    nic xx
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