Success! All fused in one single pass!A great result. Once the fusing process is complete, and the glowing silver sheet cools sufficiently, to be dunked in water in order to be handled, it needs to be placed in acid pickle to clean it up. The borax crystallises into a vitreous layer, almost giving the appearance of enamel! Once pickled it will look very different!
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Part 2. The positive benefits of creativity; my day at the workbench: fusing silver to make a cylinder...success!
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Poppy_the_cat
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Amazing 🤩
I like the sound of pickling silver, never heard of that. You’re very talented.
Poppy_the_cat in reply to
I suppose so 🤣. It always gets referred to as 'pickle' as it is a mild acid, it strips away the oxidation and the vitreous borax. It really is alchemy, watching the miraculous transformation!
It’s beautiful! What are you going to make out of the results?
It will eventually be the centrepiece to a magnificent necklace. It's all about size and ratios. The central cylinder needs to be just the right size, to allow for the large round bead to slot into it, along the lines of a ball and socket joint! However, during the reticulation/fusing process, there is the possibility of shrinkage, so you start off with a slightly later piece than is needed, to accommodate for this possibly. I will now need to file away a straight edge when measuring it up, and turning it up into a tube, annealing it with the flame all the while, as simply bending it would crack the silver. When striking with a hammer, you can hear the change of the 'ringing sound' of the metal. This indicates that the metal needs further annealing with the gas torch, in order to strike the metal again. And of course not to harm the metal, one uses s cow-hide hammer.
Is the ball going to fit into a cutout perhaps a semi precious stone? Sure would be striking. I’ve always been fascinated by metal working. I watch a show called Forged in Fire often. It’s kind of a reality completion for hand forged weapons. I used to like to watch blacksmiths work too. Myself I love spinning fiber and working in clay.
Wow!!!! Weaponry! It's all connected!! Bangles and gauntlets were originally protectors for the wrists during combat! I adore blacksmith work. Essentially as a jeweller I'm a mini blacksmith! I once watched the most entrancing programme on samurai forgjng!!!!! Oh my goodness!!! Hats Off. I was spellbound. The working of metal goes way back in all our DNA...the world over, it really is Alchemy... Oh my goodness there is So much to learn, to share with others, to engage in and experience in this life!!! It's a joy!!
I think I saw that program. Multiple lagers of metal forged hammered a reforged many many times and with a lot of ceremony. Perfectly balanced and exquisite in the end. Quite a tradition.
Oh dear I have beer on the brain. Layers!
It sounds exactly the same. It was a family a brother's 'graduating' to become master samurai makers! Entrancing!
Yes that’s it!
That is remarkable!
Yes beautiful. Look forward to seeing what you make
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