I’m interested in exploring cobalt chrome and wondering if anyone knows of a resource for this metal? I’d like to begin working with it and incorporating it into some of my jewellery pieces.
That is interesting. Chrome cobalt alloys are used for cast partial denture frameworks (although gold may have some advantages here, I have not seen it in use due to expense). It is also used in some types of orthodontic wires and can be used with and without heat treatment (Elgiloy is a brand name, I was told was developed for watch springs).These alloys contain more than just chromium and cobalt, but are referred to this way. Those partial denture frameworks are harder than heck and quite shiny when finished. The orthodontic wires are easy to bend before heat treatment, which is kind of like the process involved with making your own stamps and punches! Nothing special to look at though.
What did you have in mind?
Penny
You should be able to google to see examples
Hi Penny. Thank you so much for your response. I came across a jewelry designer named Sarah Graham (check her out) who works with what she calls cobalt chrome. She oxidizes it and it comes out very black. It’s very appealing to the eye when mixed with yellow gold. I was hoping someone in the Ganoksin forum would know about it as I’m a beginner in this space and really want to explore working with it. I appreciate your input. Thanks so much.
Elisa
I did look her up and she decribes the metal she uses as part of the medical and dental industry so it could be the same material. I have not had any experience with oxidizing this stuff, just polishing it!
Bette Barnette works in steel and gold keum boo style, with blackened steel, but I had not heard of chrome cobalt in jewelry prior.
Keep looking and good luck! Sante Fe Symposium papers, SNAG (Society of North American Goldsmiths?), or Lapidary Journal: Jewelry Artist may have papers on this type of thing.
Hello Elisa,
as the roots of Ti-Research go back to dental technicians, we sell cobalt chrome ingots by the kilo.
Indeed, this is a very common metal to dental technicians for removable partial dentures but may be applied to fashion jewelry as well.
Some of our customers use this metal to cast designer’s watch cases.
Sandor
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Thank you
Oh this is good to know. Do you know about it’s melting properties? If I buy and ingot from you do you know if I could I roll it out using a jewelers rolling mill and work it like gold or silver? I’m very excited to use and incorporate this into my jewelry but haven’t found any resources. If you have any info regarding this I’d really appreciate it.
Also, please lmk pricing. I would prob purchase the smallest amount to start with to give it a try.
Best,
Elisa
You can’t roll it out. It will destroy your rolling mill. It is only used for casting. My husband Timothy Green works for a platinum and steel foundry that casts it. Hand fabrication is impossible to do with conventional jeweler’s tools. At one point at the foundry they tried to slightly stretch a ring with a ring stretcher. It destroyed the ring stretcher.
Have fun and make lots of jewelry.
Jo
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Thank you!
@Jo: all this is correct, I couldn’t describe any better. The dental type CoCr alloys in question exhibit a hardness of approx. 380 HV, roughly twice of 14ct gold. All this is due to the purpose: removable partial denture metal frames are expected to remain as is for life (usually they don’t) with spring-like properties of the clasps.
@Elisa: worth to mention here: CoCr-alloys require induction or a high power torch to get molten and a centrifugal casting machine. In fact, this alloy and its dental application led us to the development of our small centrifugal casting machine, because of the extremely short solidification time and other challenges.
After a while we found that bench jewelers take more advantage of this nice tool: Cast video. The rest is history …
Sandor
Thank you