[Beginner's Corner] Left over silver

Jewelry Discussion
1

Hi

I am an amateur and I have a question. I have leftover silver both
fine and sterling. Can they be melted down together and reused?

Thanks
Sue Williams

2

IMHO, you should keep your fine silver and sterling leftovers
separate. They can both be melt down and re-used but why add more
fine silver to the sterling? It’ll change the balance. I keep jars
of all my leftovers separate. All labeled: Sterling, Fine, Argentium,
Copper, Base (silver plate, nickel, parawire and other unknowns),
Aluminum and Anodized Aluminum.

Michele
MikiCat Designs

3

Sue,

I am an amateur and I have a question. I have leftover silver both
fine and sterling. Can they be melted down together and reused?

Darn right they can! Try to keep solder out of your scrap you want
to melt down and turn into new stock, as the solder is a kind of
contaminant. I’d also keep your fine silver and sterling silver
separate- in different bags and labeled. I would not mix the fine and
sterling together, but make either fine silver OR sterling. You’ll
need to hallmark them one or the other, you know. I’d also highly
recommend just about any other alloy than copper for alloying your
fine silver into sterling, if you want to do that. United Precious
Metals in NY has some unbelievable alloys for sterling. Check them
out!

Jay Whaley