Are you interested in learning how to make silver jewelry?
Silver jewelry creation is a popular craft as the options are practically limitless, and silver is always in high demand. Xinar has compiled a comprehensive reference to working with silver in jewelry making to aid your quest. On top of that, we have been helping silver jewelry designers for over two decades now with our high-quality sterling silver beads and sterling silver findings.
Knowing how to make silver jewelry, also known as silversmithing, is an age-old craft. Making jewelry out of silver is similar to working with gold or other precious metals, even though each metal requires a unique approach.
Silver alloys were developed because pure silver is too malleable for most industrial use. By fusing it with other metals, silver alloys gain strength and resistance to tarnishing that the base metal lacks.
The following is a list of some of the most commonly accessible silver alloys; however, the exact metal compositions used will differ from manufacturer to manufacturer.
What Are the Types of Silver?
925 Sterling Silver
All silversmiths who know how to make silver jewelry use sterling silver extensively. 925 The silver alloy known as “sterling” typically comprises 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. It comes in many different thicknesses and shapes, making it the most versatile silver for jewelry. Combining silver with copper expands its potential uses by increasing its hardness and durability. The number “925” denotes that silver constitutes 92.5% of the material, with copper comprising the remaining 7.5%.
Although adding copper has many benefits, it also has certain drawbacks that must be considered.
Britannia Silver
Britannia Silver contains 958 ppm (or 95.8 percent) of pure silver, making it somewhat purer than Sterling Silver. However, silversmiths typically choose it due to its high workability, slightly softer, and more flexibility than Sterling Silver.
Although its remaining 4.2% is often copper, it resists fire stains better than Sterling Silver. If you want to master how to make silver jewelry, you also need to know the different kinds of silver that you can use, or are being used out there.
Argentium
Just discovered in 1991, the silver alloy known as “Argentium” is a relative newcomer in the metals world. Argentium 935 (93.5% silver) and Argentium 960 (96.0% silver) contain less copper and a higher percentage of germanium, giving them excellent anti-tarnish properties. In addition, it’s stronger and whiter than standard Sterling Silver.
Fine Silver
When it comes to silver, the purest type you can get on the market is fine silver, which is 99.9% pure. It’s exceedingly malleable, and silver bars made from it are popular as both investments and ornaments.
In the United Kingdom, a hallmark is required to sell silverware weighing more than 7.78 grams. As a universal hallmark for sterling silver, “925” denotes that 925 of 1,000 particles are silver. While the makers mark, the standard mark and the Assay Office mark are required trademarks, applying the pictorial fineness mark (the lion) and the date letter is entirely discretionary on the manufacturer’s part. While fine silver isn’t the prime choice when you’re learning how to make silver jewelry, it’s important that you understand the differences between the types of silver.
Working with Silver Sheet for the First Time?
Placing metal sheets on their sides is the best way to keep them from getting dings, dents, or warping. Most of the components you order will come with a blue or green plastic protective covering. For surface preservation, leave this on as long as possible, and keep your metal far from any tools with pointed ends. Mastering how to make silver jewelry also means knowing how to handle your jewelry-making supplies.
Several measures can be implemented during the preparation phase to cut down on expenses and waste:
- Create a precise paper blueprint to scale.
- Try designing with a less expensive metal, like copper or gilding metal, to work out any kinks.
– You can save money using a thinner metal (thinner gauge) than you originally planned. For example, maybe you thought you’d need a 1mm thick silver sheet for your design, but it turns out that 0.9mm is perfectly fine.
– Caution should be taken when using a measuring device. While silver is expensive, it’s best to err on caution when choosing the scale of your designs.
Prices for metals like silver vary widely daily, and you may be shocked to learn how much even a tiny piece of silver can fetch.
Designing on Silver
Create a beautiful design on paper, but how do you get it onto your silverware?
While working with metal sheets and wire, a scriber, dividers, and rulers are all useful tools to have on hand. Both the scriber and the divider appear like a compass (with two metal points) and are used for measuring and marking straight and curved lines similarly.
To copy a more intricate pattern, use tracing and carbon paper. To begin, clean and smooth the metal with emery paper. After it dries, you can paint it with poster paint in a light color. If you want to transfer your design from the tracing paper to the metal surface, you’ll need to use carbon paper as a transfer medium and then trace over your original drawing using a hard pencil. Finally, use a scriber to scrape off the paint and reveal the design.
Use a sheet of newspaper between the iron and the photo paper, then press down firmly for three to four minutes for the iron method.
Thinners can transfer designs directly from paper to metal by placing the design face down on the metal and wiping the paper’s reverse side with a wet cloth. Don’t forget to print a mirrored copy of your image utilizing the right software.
Silversmithing Techniques
Learning These Skills Is Essential If You Want To Make Silver Jewelry
Learn the ropes to produce beautiful jewelry for yourself and your friends, or sell it for extra cash.
Readying Dead-Soft Wire
Ensure the dead soft wire is utterly free of kinks and as smooth as possible before working with it.
The kinks in the wire can be worked out by first pulling it through a polishing cloth. Next, drag each wire through the polishing cloth individually before bringing them together to have three or four wires ready. This makes it simpler to shape the wires because they all move in the same direction.
Tempering Silver by Annealing It
The application of heat in this manner aids in lubricating the silver. This method is indispensable to making silver jewelry and must be mastered. Silver annealing requires heating the metal to 1110–1200 degrees Fahrenheit. Above that temperature, silver will begin to melt.
Using a blowtorch is the simplest method for implementing this method. Keep the silver in the flame until it turns a pale pink. There is a 30-second window during which the ideal temperature must be maintained for successful annealing. This drab pink hue is what you’ll need to keep going at the same time.
Keeping the silver from getting too hot requires drawing the flame slightly into and away from the metal. When the silver is warmed, it changes to a vivid orange/white hue.
If you’re going to give this a shot for the first time, it’s best to practice on some scrap silver. You’ll be better able to judge colors and increase your overall ability level.
Whenever possible, annealing should be done in a very dark room. As a result, you’ll have a clearer picture of the flame’s actual color and the silver’s current oxidation state.
Silver’s surface can benefit from being brushed with boric acid and alcohol before annealing.
Be aware that just the places or joints where soldering will take place require annealing while creating certain silver jewelry items. Pendants and chains, for instance, require simply annealing of the bales.
Quenching the annealed silver is the last step before using it. For this step to be successful, the silver must be a dark hue; quenching it while it is still red hot can weaken the metal. Slow cooling is preferable if you want the metal to age and harden.
The silver must only be submerged in water briefly to undergo quenching.
Working to Melt Silver
Silver resembles a mirror more than any other pure metal on Earth when polished to perfection. This is one reason silver is frequently used to create jewelry and ornamentation.
Though heat typically shapes silver, it may also be hammered into diverse forms. But, in the following paragraphs, we will elaborate on the two methods available for melting silver.
Using a Kiln
The silver is placed in a crucible, a container designed to withstand the high temperatures required to melt the metal. Crucibles are typically fashioned from ceramic, clay, or stone since these materials do not soften or melt at the temperatures required to melt silver. Put the crucible with the silver into a gas-fired or electric kiln and heat it until it is molten. After the temperature reaches 1435 degrees Fahrenheit, the silver will begin to melt. On the other hand, you shouldn’t take it out of the kiln until the silver reaches 1635 degrees Fahrenheit in temperature.
Be warned that silver in jewelry containing copper alloy will not fully melt until the temperature reaches 1650 degrees Fahrenheit. If you need a kiln to melt silver, a gas-fired model will provide the most convenient means of reaching the high temperatures required.
Once the desired temperature is reached, the kiln must be turned off immediately, and the silver must be removed using long tongs and protective gloves. Immediately after taking the crucible out of the kiln, pour the molten silver into the mold you’ve set up, as the metal will start to cool and solidify again very soon.
Melting with a Torch
This method is successful since most individuals don’t have the resources (either financial or physical) to melt silver in a kiln. Continuously operate in a well-ventilated, isolated area when handling hot metals. Consider devoting some space in your garage or garden shed to this task.
The following steps are required to melt silver using a torch successfully.
– It’s essential to start by clearing the workspace of anything that could catch fire. An oxy-acetylene or oxygen-propane torch works well for heating the silver. The torch’s flame needs to be fueled by oxygen to reach the required melting point for silver. You can also rent these torches from various sources, so there’s no real pressure to buy your own.
– Melting silver in a crucible requires melting the silver pieces in a container similar to a kiln. The next step is to set this up on a large stone or in a box full of sand. The torch flame won’t harm either of these, so that’s why you use them.
After that, don a protective apron, heavy gloves, and a welding mask. If you don’t already have these, you might be able to rent them alongside the torch. However, I suggest you buy them independently since you’ll use them frequently.
After getting yourself all geared up for safety, you can finally turn on the torch. The device is ready for use as soon as the neutral position is reached on the preheating flame.
Once the flame is prepared, it is transferred to the crucible, and the oxygen valve is closed. By doing so, the flame’s temperature will rise. Maintain flame contact with silver until it has completely melted. Then, gently tilt the crucible using a pair of tongs to see if the metal has melted completely. If it’s all drifting towards the edge, remove it from the heat immediately and pour the silver into the mold you made.
Remember to use extreme caution around molten silver, as it can cause severe burns if it splashes or drips onto your flesh. Be sure the area you’re working in is clear, and always wear high-quality protective clothing.
Incorporating Silver into Solder
Soldering is a method of fusing or attaching silver using heat. Also, remember to use appropriate safety gear whenever you work with silver, including while soldering. Put on some sturdy work gloves, some safety glasses, and an apron made for heavy-duty work.
Four distinct types of solder are available for usage in various applications. Before exploring the soldering method, let’s examine these.
Soldering Silver
This solder has the most excellent melting point of any available. The melting point is 1490 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, this type of solder, as the name implies, is only appropriate when enameling two pieces of silver together.
Enameling Solder
This is the solder you want to use initially when you want to solder two hefty components together, and it usually comes in strips around 6mm wide. This variety of solder has a substantially greater melting point.
Medium Solder
This 3mm-wide solder is typically used after the hard solder but before the soft solder. Yet, this solder may be difficult to handle due to its stickiness.
Easy Solder
These soldiers are around 3mm broad but melt at a significantly lower temperature. Solder of this sort has a melting point of about 1240 degrees Fahrenheit. Use this kind for establishing simple connections, such as those found on findings or jump rings.
There are, however, steps that must be taken before the silver can be soldered together.
– First, check that the silver has been annealed appropriately. (I’ve laid down the steps that need to be taken to complete this process. – The silver that will be soldered must then be meticulously cleaned. The soldering can become tarnished by even the tiniest bit of dirt left on the silver. The solder flows more easily and quickly when it’s been heated, so make sure the solder itself is shiny and clean.
Cleaning silver for soldering is best done with a detergent containing a degreasing agent and an abrasive pad. You can use pumice powder to scrub away grime and oil if you prefer. Be careful to give everything a thorough scrub after performing either of these cleaning procedures. Of course, if you want, steam cleaning the components to be assembled is a quick and easy option.
– Silver soldering requires a gap-free connection between the pieces being joined. In addition, solder tends to run down one side of a seam; thus, closing any holes in the seam is essential.
Nevertheless, pitting of the solder may occur if there are gaps between the joints or the two components do not fit together well. What’s more, it has the potential to produce a joint that can swiftly break. A successful solder joint between two pieces of silver requires that they fit closely against one another, which is not always the case.
Last but not least, when soldering silver, use only high-quality flux. Borax is the best and cheapest ingredient to use for creating a flux. In addition to reducing the solder’s tendency to oxidize, borax will also delay the solder’s flow. Finally, you may help produce the ideal surface for soldering by ensuring the connection is clear of oxide. This will make the end product look more polished, making it difficult to see the link between the two parts.
After you’ve done the things I’ve listed above, you’ll be ready to start soldering the silver parts together.
