Does anyone know what the situation is with the availability of Argentium here in the states? I do realize that a part of it has to do with the tariffs. However, that does not necessarily explain the fact that Rios stocks seem to be diminishing to almost nothing I’ve sent them an email, but I’ve never heard back in finding a good source of Argentium anywhere other than Rio is next to impossible. I don’t want to have to order from overseas if I don’t have to and pay for the tariffs and shipping, but I’m not sure what to do. Any thoughts?
Rio has been dropping Argentium steadily for at least a few years.
https://www.cooksongold.com/ has a greater selection than Rio ever had, including some very thick sheet. I have bought from them.
Short of buying from Cooksongold the only practical alternative I know of is to buy casting grain from Rio Argentium® 940 PRO Silver Casting Grain - RioGrande and make your own sheet and findings.
Probably as expensive as imported Argentium, you might look into Continuum silver from Stuller. https://www.stuller.com/search/results?query=continuum%20sterling%20silver. Stuller does offer Continuum findings. But Stuller’s shipping charges can be eye-watering.
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Neil…I finally needed to buy some sterling silver wire and sizing stock. I decided to compare Stuller and Rio. I usually just buy from Rio. So far Stuller seems to be less expensive even when factoring in no cost shipping from Rio for orders over $250 and not exceeding whatever the weight limit is. My frustration with Stuller is that their shipping leaves a lot to be desired. I placed an order on 9/26 using the least expensive USPS shipping method and it took them six days to get the shipment to their local post office. Then the post office took over a week to deliver it to me. I just placed another order for two different forms of sizing stock and told them to hold the order until both were availble so that I was charged only once for UPS Ground. So far it appears that they are making two shipments but only charging me once for shipping. This is all very confusing, but Stuller still seems to be less expensive overall for the types of material that I typically buy. I am not usually in a hurry for delivery, yet the industry seems to set up for fast overnight delivery at great expense to the buyer. I apologize for any typos, I have new computer desk chair…Rob
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That surprises me. My impression was that goods on Stuller cost more. Maybe that’s for tools. One thing I will say about Stuller, and I can relate a number of good things, is that they have the greatest collection of findings, mountings, etc. of any retailer I know of. Rio carries only the smallest fraction of Stuller’s offerings.
… using the least expensive USPS shipping method and it took them six days to get the shipment to their local post office. Then the post office took over a week to deliver it to me.
I’ve always avoided USPS with Stuller, but their FedEx and UPS shipping fees start in the $30s for tiny shipments, like a few dozen mountings. What you really have to watch out for is when ordering say twelve 8mm heads and they have only ten in stock, is if you let them ship the ten and then the other two when available, you will pay a second full $30+ for the second shipment. @ $35 shipping for just two heads? Make sure to not allow multiple shipments of an order.
As to shipping in general, the cost has become absurd and all shippers seem to price things very similarly. Not saying collusion, but their almost identical pricing amounts to the same thing. I have a lot of good, valuable tools I’d like to sell but the very high shipping cost would make any of it unattractive to a buyer.
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Neil…I specified UPS ground and no split shipments. The tracking seems to indicate that they have shipped one item and back ordered another. So far they only show one shipping charge for $19. I will try to chat on Monday to see what they have really done. It shouldn’t be this mysterious. In the end, I was quoted less from Stuller including shipping than Rio for the same material. I hope all is well…Rob
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Thanks Neil, and Rob. I guess I will collect some information before deciding what to do. Stuller carries both the Continuum and also a “Stulerium” or something which might both be germanium alloys. Does anyone know how these compare to Argentium in terms of ease of fusing and general workability?
I didn’t address your original question and really can’t. The only Argentium that I use is 1/2 hard 20 gauge wire. I use it to make ear wires in a way that doesn’t require any soldering. Any time I have tried to solder it, I treat it like sterling, moving it too quickly and causing it to slump. This is not to say that I never have to deal with firescale. I do, but have developed ways within my designs to remove it or avoid it without it being too much of a problem. The last time that I did buy Argentium from Rio, it was readily available. I haven’t tried recently, but will have to soon as we move into Christmas production. Good luck…Rob
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I have bought two fairly substantial orders from Rio quite recently. If I order on Tuesday I will see that order on the porch by Friday. I have it come Second Day for $12.99. It is pretty consistent and I can plain my work that way. That alone has some considerable value.
I have purchased from Stuller and the product arrived arrived a week or so later which was fine. I was not in a hurry. And the product was what I needed.
In the past I had bought exclusively from Hoover and Strong because Dad had. The material was just fine, price was fine, and if shipping charges were high I had no experience to know differently. But then, a few years ago, I noticed the metal was taking a lot longer to get here than before. So I ordered on the same morning half of what I needed from Rio and half from Hoover. The Rio order arrived a week and a half sooner. I have ordered from Rio ever since.
As per Argentium, I have tried an order of it. I wasn’t thrilled with how it worked. I didn’t see enough benefit in the additional cost to be balanced by the claim it doesn’t firescale or tarnish. And I didn’t like the learning curve or having to add a new skill set to my cluttered set of bench skills every time I grab a new chunk of wire. Perhaps if I were new to the game I would give it more of a try…Don
Thanks everyone. I have used Argentium for years and my work is dependent on its ability to fuse to itself readily. I also use Sterling when what I am doing requires strength when hot. I also do a fair amount of Keum Boo, which is a beeeze with Argentium, but not hard with regular Sterling. As for shipping charges and delivery times, I live in Albuquerque and always get my shipments from Rio the next day. (I know I am spoiled!) At this point, I don’t care about ship times, just whether I can get my hands on Argentium, especially sheet.
Anyone else here who uses Argentium that has any insight to how to weather this shortage?
I’m a big fan of Continuum. When kiln hardened iit s harder than Argentium. It anneals well, and fuses beautifully. It’s slow to tarnish too.
I also use it for things like gem settings, ear wires, clasps, etc. Pretty much everything that needs to be able to spring back into place.
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Jo, thanks very much for your response. I was hoping to hear from someone with experience fusing with Continuum. Have you also used Argentium for fusing? If so, how do they compare? Continuum is an alloy containing germanium, right?
I applied for an account with Cooksongold yesterday and got an email just now declining my application because they are pausing all shipments to the US. I am really frustrated with this! I guess I will call Rio tomorrow to find out the situation.
I have seen a few sellers on Etsy selling Argentium at an outrageous premium. I will keep the community posted on what Rio says. 
Edie
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I have not actually used Argentium. But when I was teaching jewelry making at a local Arts school I watched how much of an issue it was to work with. It required designated tools for that particular alloy. And it was very dicy to work with. The metal needed to be very carefully watched. If it got just a tiny bit too hot, things would just collapse. And it had to be specifically refined. Contunuum is much easier to work with.
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From the web via google AI, a very good overview of types of silver with content, properties, and uses.it is a PDF file to keep formatting
silver types.pdf (200.7 KB)
marlin
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Thank you! Such a great chart!
I did finally speak directly with Rio today and was told that they are working with a manufacturer within the US and are working on restocking all sheet and wire in Argentium. Their website shows that an addition to having 14 and 16 gauge sheet last week they now also have 18, 20 and 22. So I am relieved. Thanks everyone for all the support and great information!
Edie
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This post has really got my attention, because I have mainly worked with Argentium since I started with silver about 18 years ago. I use it for everything, unless what I need is not available in Argentium, than I will use .925. I understand for most new ones trying it, it does have a learning curve, and sometimes than scares them off. I love it. It has been a concern to me that Rio hasn’t had 20 or 22g in stock. My inventory is getting low, and I didn’t stock up because of the price of silver this year. Hopefully, Rio will get Argentium soon and the price of silver will come down some more.
Laurie
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Jo…Can I assume that the “designated tools” that you mention do not include pliers, hammers, anvils, mandrels etc., but include anything that could contaminate it like possible files, soldering surfaces and maybe polishing wheels. Your comment sent me searching, but I couldn’t find anything real specific. Thanks…Rob
I’ve used Argentium since the beginning. It has a lower melting point than the same alloy of standard sterling, which makes it easier to overheat. The first Argentium alloy sold was .925 and most people tried a sample, treated it like standard sterling, overheated it, and hated it. The next alloy sold was .935 and was much easier to use, now .940 is sold and it’s pretty bomb proof. I love the extra malleability and no fire scale. I bought a batch of .960 casting shot back when silver was $20 an oz and I’m still using that for my work.
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As usual, AI is not always the best reference. There are several inclusions in that list that are just not true. The list is at least partially composed of marketing info and opinion.
Just for example looking at hardness:
Annealed
Sterlium Plus Hardness 74 (Stuller)
Standard Sterling Hardness 63 (Introduction to Precious Metals, Mark Grimwade)
Continuum Hardness 100 (Stuller)
Argentium 940S Hardness 65 (argentiumsilver.com)
Age Hardened (Two Step Heat treatment)
Sterlium Plus Hardness no info available
Standard Sterling Hardness 140 (Introduction to Precious Metals, Mark Grimwade)
Continuum Hardness 150 (Stuller)
Argentium 940S Hardness 140 (argentiumsilver.com)
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I, too experienced the lack of Argentium this Summer and early Fall. It is the only silver alloy I use. I do a lot with Keum Boo. I ended up ordering one sheet from the Argentium Guild and had to pay a tariff. British Post to Texas was really reasonable. I just got an order off to Rio last week for some 16 gauge.
I wonder if some of the shortages are due to the use of Germanium in the chip industry. Also, the Western world has been way too dependent on China for metals like Germanium for years.
I was happy to note that Rio’s supplies are coming back in.
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