Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
May 26, 2011

Question:

Hello Dale, I love this site and have learned so much from you. I do a lot of wire wrapping and since the precious metals have become more and more expensive I was wondering if you know of an alternative to Sterling Silver. I really love Sterling Silver, but in our climate I have really become weary of the tarnishing and was wondering if there is a wire that will give me the look of Sterling but won’t tarnish, and is also a bit more reasonable in the price range. I often use Sterling necklaces as well as silver plated by the foot for my necklaces and am really interested in changing over to another option. Silver plated items get this awful yellow tint really easily and it is not as easy to clean that. I really hope you can help me! Thanks.

-Daniela in Elizabethtown, Kentucky

Answer:

Thanks Daniela! (I don’t know about this one though.)

I believe you are asking me if there is an alternative to sterling silver that is not only tarnish resistant, but is also less expensive, “white” in color, and not plated. I would say Argentium® silver because it is tarnish resistant, but it is a tad more expensive than sterling. Although you have ruled out anything plated, you might try Silver Colored Silver Plated Copper Wire, which has an anti-tarnish coating on it.

The only other solution would be nickel silver. Nickel silver, or German silver, isn’t silver at all, but composed of copper, zinc and nickel. However, a lot of people are allergic to copper and/or nickel.

Let me ask our fellow wire artists, have I missed something folks?

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
April 15, 2011

Question:

I have some salt crystals I would like to wrap with sterling silver. How will sterling silver react with the sea salt?

-Alan in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Answer:

As summer is quickly approaching this part of the world, I’d like to address the whole subject of Sterling & Salt–thanks Alan!

Salt will corrode most jewelry metals, especially sterling silver. This reaction will be seen by the silver becoming dull and eventually developing pits (both of which could be attractive features, depending on both the artist and the customer). The type of salt doesn’t matter, it could be from swimming in salt water, the salt from human sweat, salt in foods that are handled wearing silver rings, anywhere!

Some folks I know send their sterling settings off to have them rhodium-plated before adding stones. However, if the specific presence of sterling is important to the overall piece, then having it plated would negate that aspect.

While we’re talking about summer and sterling, folks, please remember not to wear your sterling in a chlorine pool or hot tub, either. Chlorine will turn your sterling silver black in a heartbeat! Yes, it can be rinsed when you shower, but if the piece contains stones, salt and chemicals can crystallize in the tiny setting spaces, causing challenges later.

Personally, I think the idea of wrapping natural, sea salt crystals is awesome! As you can see from the photos in the article The Spiral Jetty, natural salt crystals form in some really unique shapes! Enjoy the summer!

Answer contributed by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
April 4, 2011

Question:

I have 14/20 gold filled wire, but cannot find a marking stamp for it. I want to mark it 14GF or 14/20, because I also sell gold jewelry which is not filled. Do you have a source for me? Thank you!

-Nita in Murchison, Texas

Answer:

Hi Nita, some folks like to hang a tag on their finished jewelry, stating the metal used. However I agree that hanging an extra tag on a piece can take away from the design, or the tag is just too large (say for earrings) and it’s difficult to tag a ring!

If you would like to use a tag on a necklace or bracelet, Wire-Sculpture has a nice selection of Sterling Silver Tags. We don’t carry gold-filled tags; due to how small the tags are, we haven’t found an affordable vendor for that kind of tag.

My favorite stamp company is Microstamp. These folks will custom make you a stamp in about any size, to say anything you’d like, such the type of metal or even your personal company logo!

Answer contributed by Dale "Cougar" Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
December 29, 2010

Question:

I want to make some sterling silver jewelry and oxidize the silver by using liver of sulfur. Should I oxidize the wire before putting the jewelry together, or should I oxidize the piece after I’m finished?

-Karen in Wichita, Kansas

Answer:

Karen, most folks oxidize a silver or copper jewelry piece after it has been made.

When a finished piece is dipped, the patina will form into the crevices between the wires and wraps, accenting those areas. When brushed with steel wool, you will then achieve the lovely antique look you are seeking.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip for
December 13, 2010

Question:

What is the best temper of sterling silver wire; dead-soft verses half-hard for wire wrapping semi-precious stones both rough and faceted? Probably into pendants. I have been working with copper splashes and copper wire.

-Sherry in Medina, Ohio

Answer:

As you say you are working with copper splash (which is a lovely material), depending on the look you wish to achieve, are you sure you don’t want to use Argentium, because copper will tarnish sterling silver rather quickly? Again, it depends on the look you are going for.

Either way, the sterling or Argentium® silver wire you might choose will depend on what you are making. As you ask about wire for pendants, dead soft wire will form easily to unusual shapes. However, a single or double wire bail will not hold its shape unless the wire is forged or twisted before making the bail. Most of the splash I have seen has lovely irregular shaping (although some of it is made into calibrated cabochons) so I suggest making either square wire frames wrapped together with half hard half round wire or freeform caging with square or round dead soft (always use square half-hard for the bail wrap though).

Personally, I would mix the tempers, using soft in the center of the frame wire and half hard on each outer edge (as this is the wire that gets pulled over the stone to hold it into the frame). As for the gauge, well that choice will depend on the width and overall size of the stone. For thick stones you could mix the gauges and use 20 or 21 in the frame center and 21 or 22 on the outer edges so not much wire goes on top of the piece. For smaller items you could choose to use 22 in the center of a frame and 24 on the edges. (By the way, the general half round half hard wrap wire is 20-gauge.) These suggestions are for all stones (as you also mention precious and semi-precious).

For faceted stones, the gauge and temper will depend on the setting you want to make. If you are doing prong work, then half hard is a must! (Please remember this is my opinion, I am sure there are folks who use soft for prong work, but then have to tumble it to work harden the wire to keep the stone in place – which I would not recommend on faceted stones!)

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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