Annealing Stuller X1 white gold

Jewelry Discussion
1

does anyone have a suggestion for annealing Stuller’s X-1 white
gold? This stuff always seems to be as hard as a rock.

-BK in BWA

2

Hi,

I quench 18ct rose gold in boiling water may work for white gold
too.

Leza

3

You can order it in Dead Soft state at no extra cost and ask their
technicians for best handling procedures. If you read the tech sheet
carefully, you’ll see that it is formulated to be white-r than
regular white gold but is still 14k so I wouldn’t think there would
be any difference in annealing. You should still plate it when
polished.

J. Rose

4

BK,

Here’s what the Stuller Technical Data Sheet gives on annealing. I
would add that for small items I’m forging or short lengths of wire
I bench anneal, bringing the piece to a solid red in a darkened room
with immediate quench. Not as soft as the kiln method below, and
requiring more frequent annealings, but it works. For castings I
always use the following kiln method:

Annealing: Heat in an oven set to 1350-1400 F for 10 to 20 minutes,
depending on size of castings. quench immediately. Do not allow to
air cool.

Les Brown

5

Here is some I hope you will find helpful.

Oven anneal is best; its more consistent…20 - 30 minutes @
1350F followed by fast water quench. Rather than placing the product
on the floor of the oven it is best to elevate the product to allow
good circulation of the heat around it. We have made simple racks by
bending stainless mesh…this allows good heat flow.

Andy “The Tool Guy” Kroungold

6

Hi folks;

I’ve had a lot of experience with X-1, and frankly hate it for a
number of reasons, but I have a client who is addicted to it. But, it
is white enought to not need plating. So are a number of other, much
better alloys. I tried the oven method and found the results no
better than my old method of annealing standard white gold alloys.
Heat to a visible red and hold for a minute, then quench in your
boric-acid/alcohol solution. I can’t see going through a lot of
trouble if it’s not going to anneal it appreciably in a oven.

David L. Huffman

7

I have had the same difficulty buying metal from Stulller pertaining
to it’s hardness… I find Hoover & Strong (they will anneal it for
you) or Rio Grande better to work with buying either sheet metal
or/or wire

Lesley