Hello, everyone.
I’ve raised a copper cup quite successfully, largely thanks to the
supervision of my jewelry class teacher. The copper was extremely
easy to anneal to a dead soft. I didn’t use any flux, and simply
pickled the copper after each annealing
I’m now trying to raise a sterling silver cup, and I’m finding the
results of my annealing to be less than expected. I’m following
instructions by the book, literally - Rupert Finegold and William
Seitz’s “Silversmithing”.
I’m coating the silver with Handy Flux. (I’m aware of the borax and
alcohol trick, but haven’t tried it yet.) I’m heating with an
oxy-acetylene torch with a bushy flame until a dull glow appears: as
in a glow that could be seen in a fairly dark room. I let sit for ten
seconds or so, and then quench in water.
The silver is not nearly as malleable as the copper was after the
annealing operation. Is that to be expected? Or am I doing something
wrong?
Thanks in advance!
Matt