All about Argentium sterling silver

 

 

Argentium Sterling Silver is a modern sterling silver alloy which modifies the traditional alloy (92.5% silver + 7.5% copper) by replacing some of the copper with Germanium. As it retains the same 92.5% silver content, it is still sterling silver.

 Germanium is a crystalline semi-metallic element which is found naturally in small amounts in silver, copper and zinc ores, as well as in the mineral, germanite. The germanium forms an invisible film on the surface of silver alloy. This film prevents oxygen from reaching any tarnishable metals, such as copper, employed to harden the pure silver.

 Germanium was discovered to impart the following properties to sterling silver:

1. High tarnish resistance(An excellent selling point for your silver jewellery)
2. Firescale elimination
3. Increased ductility
4. Increased thermal and electrical resistance (making alloys suitable for welding and laser forming)
5. Environmental advantages (associated with not having to remove or plate over firescale)

 The absence of firescale eliminates time-consuming steps required by the silversmith when working with sterling silver

Argentium Silver is the result of research begun in 1990 and perfected in 1996 by Peter Johns at the School of Art & Design, Middlesex University, England. The University owns the patent and licenses its production. Argentium Silver is patented and trademarked by Argentium Silver Company, UK..

As for working with Argentium Sterling, artisans who forge and weld sterling need to be aware of certain differences between Argentium and traditional sterling silver (e.g. lower melting point), but those who merely incorporate Argentium findings or wire into their jewelry will not find it any different to work with. 

 

 

 

 

 Argentium wire it is a bit stiffer than sterling silver. So if you make wirework jewellery it is recommended you use dead soft Argentium wire.

 Links about Argentium silver:

Official website:

• http://www.argentiumsilver.com/availability/suppliers
• http://www.argentiumsilver.com/availability
• http://www.argentiumsilver.info/index.php/questions-answers
• Email: info@argentiumsilver.com

 Useful links:

• http://www.argentiumsilverfindings.com/index1.html
• http://www.gsgold.com/cart/idxargentiumssmillproductsandfindings.asp
• http://argentiumfindings.com/
•  Argentium silver findings and wire from Rings & Things
• http://www.thebeadman.com/JRargentium.html

How to use Precious Metal Clay

Learn to use Metal Clay, FREE, online!

by Elaine Luther

This is your guide to learning to create with Precious Metal Clay online, 100% for free. I’ve searched the web for the best of free videos and how-tos, and even more importantly, I’m presenting them to you here in a logical order.

The internet is full of free information, but when you’re a beginner, how do you know how to harness that information?

I was inspired to create this tutorial by the concept of a web quest, a teaching tool.

According to WebQuest.org, “a WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web.”

In this web adventure, I present excellent resources on beginning to work with metal clay, in a logical order. Let’s get started!

Tools You Need

Supplies for Beginning Working with Metal Clay
http://creativetexturetools.com/news

Top Ten Tools for Metal Clay
http://www.Squidoo.com/PMCtopten

Precious Metal Clay, Getting Started and Beyond
http://www.squidoo.com/allthingsmetalclay

How to Work the Clay

Videos from Art Jewelry Magazine: MUST BE A REGISTERED USER, registration is free
Metal Clay
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/ART

Repairing a Break In Metal Clay
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art

Making Metal Clay Paste
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art

Texturing Metal Clay
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art

More on textures
http://www.squidoo.com/metal-clay-textures

Rolling & Cutting Metal Clay
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art

Liver of Sulfur Patina
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art

Making Lavender-Oil Paste For Metal Clay
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art

Firing Metal Clay with a Handheld Butane Torch

Getting Started with PMC pdf, PMC Guild.com
http://www.pmcguild.com/gettingstarted/gettingstarted.html

Video Clips
http://www.pmcguild.com/gettingstarted/video_clips.html

Rolling Coils
http://creativetexturetools.com/news

Choosing Combustible Cores
http://creativetexturetools.com/news

Relatively Simple First Project:
http://pugetsoundmetalclay.com/shellpendant.htm

Rehydrating Dryish Clay
http://creativetexturetools.com/news

Reconstituting Metal Clay
http://langeestla.canalblog.com

http://www.silverclayart.com/reclaim_clay.htm

Add gold foil using Keum boo
http://alienorbijoux.canalblog.com
and
http://www.pmcconnection.com/pdf/KUMBOO.pdf

Stone setting

Overview of choices
http://www.creativetexturetools.com/resources

Using tabbed bezel wire from Metal Clay Findings
http://www.metalclayfindings.com/pdfs/bezelwirehowto.pdf

Embed prong setting, fire in place, set stone after firing

(free pdf project at Art Jewelry)
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art

Setting Stone using a recessed bezel cup
http://pugetsoundmetalclay.com/bookofkells.htm

Stone setting using a plaster plug and making your own fine silver bezel wire (can be made to fit any cabochon stone)
http://pugetsoundmetalclay.com/freeformbezel.htm

How to Torch Fire
Video Clips:
http://www.pmcguild.com/gettingstarted

Video, how to torch fire MUST BE A REGISTERED USER
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/art

Which Torch is Best
http://creativetexturetools.com/news

How To Kiln Fire
http://www.paragonweb.com/videos

How to Tumble-polish
http://www.jewelrylessons.com

How to add Liver of Sulphur

http://www.hollygage.com

How to add Liver of Sulphur without dipping
http://creativetexturetools.com/news

Liver of Sulfur Patina
http://www.artjewelrymag.com/ART

Iridescent Patina
by Katherine Palochak
http://www.ganoksin.com

Additional skills to use with metal clay:

Make your polymer clay texture plates
http://blog.craftygoat.com

Make your own photopolymer plates
http://www.silverclayart.com

Video by Tonya Davidson:
http://www.wholelottawhimsy.com

Dry Metal Clay? It Could Be Your Hands (and what to do about it)
http://creativetexturetools.com/news

What else? Have I missed any essential skill? A great tutorial that you know about? Tell me, and the world, by posting a comment below, and feel free to post the url of the great tutorial you recommend. Thanks!

Learn to use Metal Clay, FREE, online! by Elaine Luther is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at creativetexturetools.com.