brotherbill
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2018
Posts: 382
|
Post by brotherbill on Jan 31, 2021 9:55:54 GMT -5
I bought this material at Quartzite 2020 from the guy that owns the Silverstream mine. I looked at it the previous day and then returned the following morning to buy it. I told him I had dreamt about it that night. His cohort replied "Son, you need to get better internet!" I don't think so...
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones on Jan 31, 2021 10:28:35 GMT -5
That's a beautiful pendant! I think his cohort needs to get some glasses.
The horse on the back is very well done, too. You have some excellent sawing skills. Why don't you hallmark or sign your pieces?
|
|
|
Post by rockjunquie on Jan 31, 2021 10:40:36 GMT -5
Beautiful! Your piercing is amazing!
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Jan 31, 2021 10:45:49 GMT -5
Beautiful use of excellent material.
It took me a while to fully appreciate what can be done by framing small areas of this type of rough. Much of it looked like a random, disorderly mess to me when I looked at the first pieces I slabbed. Had to learn to ignore the look of the slab as a whole. Opaque materials or slabs with more defined patterns are easier.
Can't frame one any better than you did there... .
|
|
Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,709
|
Post by Fossilman on Jan 31, 2021 10:51:28 GMT -5
Excellent!
|
|
Brian
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2020
Posts: 1,512
|
Post by Brian on Jan 31, 2021 11:43:20 GMT -5
That is fantastic front and back! Well done!!
|
|
brotherbill
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2018
Posts: 382
|
Post by brotherbill on Jan 31, 2021 13:44:14 GMT -5
Hummingbirdstones, I use recycled silver so I don't feel comfortable declaring it 925. Most customers understand and appreciate environmental initiatives.
Hummingbirdstones2 (??), I totally agree that some agates can be overwhelming. When I look at pseudomorph stick agates I could swear that I am dyslexic. Framing with templates is the way to go for me.
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones on Jan 31, 2021 15:55:49 GMT -5
Hummingbirdstones, I use recycled silver so I don't feel comfortable declaring it 925. Most customers understand and appreciate environmental initiatives. Hummingbirdstones2 (??), I totally agree that some agates can be overwhelming. When I look at pseudomorph stick agates I could swear that I am dyslexic. Framing with templates is the way to go for me. Are you just recycling clean Sterling? If so, no worries. Only the copper gets depleted, so you're actually using finer than .925. You can always just add some Sterling shot to your melt to make you feel better. That's what a goldsmith friend of mine does when he remelts sterling sprues and stuff for casting.
Hummingbirdstones2 is the hubby. His name used to be vitzitziltecpatl and he changed it not that long ago.
|
|
brotherbill
spending too much on rocks
Member since October 2018
Posts: 382
|
Post by brotherbill on Jan 31, 2021 16:31:55 GMT -5
I use silverware and old jewelry. I suspect the solder in old jewelry would decrease silver content below 925.
I suspect that not everything marked 925 is actually that so I acid test everything but I still find notable differences in the alloy when melting silver.
Full disclosure: I have learned silver working through watching YouTube videos. I have no mentor. I kind of fumble my way through this by trial and error. Thanks for any information you can shed on the subject.
|
|
|
Post by hummingbirdstones on Jan 31, 2021 17:12:30 GMT -5
If you're using jewelry with solder on it, then yeah, it would definitely put it in the less than 925 category most likely. You really should be using only clean silver (no solder) in your melts.
From what I understand, contamination can cause cracking in the metal when you go to roll the metal down. I'm not a professional jeweler, but I've read enough and hang out with enough of them to learn some stuff by osmosis. There are some other folks on here that silversmith and maybe they'll chime in.
You can always do some searching on Orchid to get more answers.
|
|
|
Post by MsAli on Jan 31, 2021 20:51:49 GMT -5
You have some serious skills!
This is gorgeous
|
|
|
Post by jasoninsd on Jan 31, 2021 20:58:56 GMT -5
Super gorgeous pendant Bill!
|
|
|
Post by opalpyrexia on Feb 1, 2021 11:07:03 GMT -5
Wonderful work! I really like your horse cutout on the back — that's some mighty fine sawing!
How did you bend your tubing?
|
|
|
Post by victor1941 on Feb 1, 2021 17:12:55 GMT -5
Excellent silver and cab work!
|
|
|
Post by lpl on Feb 2, 2021 12:23:27 GMT -5
Excellent work! I agree, and love how you framed the horse perfectly.
|
|