In Need Of:

[Alan L]

The heat hardening I mentioned for sterling works through a totally different way than heat hardening steel, and is not the same as annealing.

To get the maximum softness out of silver, you quickly heat it to a low red (1100 degrees F or so) and quench in water or sparex. This results in a totally randomized crystalline structure.

Work hardening is the result of forcing these randomized crystals to move until they start interlocking, thereby preventing further "easy" movement.

Heat hardening works because when you heat the sterling to 500 degrees F or so and hold it there, the crystal lattice will slowly rearrange itself into an ordered structure that resists deformation. Cool, huh?

Gotta love metals and their weird properties! Just think, it's all due to that metallic bond where all the little atoms share one big cloud of electrons, unlike the other forms of matter. Silver, being the most conductive metal of all, is the most willing to let those electrons go zipping all over the whole piece.

Note that this heat-hardening thing doesn't work for many metals. I think silver and gold are the only ones that really show results.

[Crazy Horse]

I called "Surepure" and they quoted me a price for a piece of Coin Silver .051 X6"X6" @ over $300. WOW!
I got a quote for Sterling at a local Philly supplier for the same dimensions @ $119. I guess I'll just try Alan's method and fire up the kitchen oven.

[fitzo]

Some places allow you to order the material at either dead soft, half hard, or full hard straight off the rolling mill, work hardened.

Surepure is about 2x as expensive as other sources when I buy silver bezel strip for doing inlay. I use them when I want it a little wider than what Hoover and Strong offers.

I left that link as a source for coin silver sheet because no one else had mentioned any others. You'll notice I made no comment about them being reasonably priced. They're not. Sometimes, of course, if one wants something bad enough, one just has to pay the price. Fortunately, it sounds like you have alternatives in this case.

Good luck with your project.

[Alan L]

I double-checked the time and temperature data for heat/age hardening in Tim McCreight's books, and the exact data he gives are: 2.5 hours at 532 degrees. My oven won't do that! Longer at a lower temp ought to work as well.

Good Luck! I got a 12" x 6" sheet of .024 sterling from GSgold for $78. Shipping was a killer though, since they only ship by courier.

[Chuck Burrows]

For good prices on Sterling check out www.ijsinc.com aka Indian Jewelry Supply
Also Santa Fe Jewelry Supply www.sfjssantafe.com

Both are excellent people to deal with and shipping is via UPS.

[C L Wilkins]

I just came across this thread. Sorry for the late reply...

One thing you can do if you don't need it in large pieces is to buy Mexican 5 Peso silver pieces for about 4 bucks apiece. I believe they are .900 silver.



(That's what the Texas Rangers do to have their badges made, even nowadays.)

Craig

[TJ Smith]

Just use a coin
TJ

[C L Wilkins]

Originally Posted by TJ Smith

Just use a coin
TJ

Bingo!