ArgentumMoon https://orchid.ganoksin.com/u/ArgentumMoon - December 26,
2018, 11:32pmHello again everyone,
I have been wondering about what brass has the best properties for
jewellery? Commercial bronze has 90% copper and 10% zinc, red brass has
85% copper 15% zinc and has a rich yellow colour not unlike a paler 14K
gold. Then off course you have cartridge brass with 30% zinc and gilding
metal. With all these choices, I have been wondering which brass is
recommended for jewellery in regards to working properties, colour etc.
Thank you for any advice,ArgentumMoon
It depends on what sort of jewelry you’re talking about, and on your
particular tastes, as far as color goes. Ancient bronze (90% copper 10%
tin) has a lot to be said for it. I find it easier to work with than
alloys with zinc in them. Silicon bronze (which substitutes silicon for
the tin) is also a nice metal to work with - it’s not going to melt when
you get it up to soldering temps, unlike most brasses.
If you want to do something special, like reticulation, colored
patination or enameling with it, then look into some of the Japanese
copper alloys, like shakudo (copper plus gold) and shibuichi (copper
plus silver). There’s some information on working with these alloys on
the Ganoksin site:
Andrew Werby