i hope someone can help me with this question. i want to make up a
batch of shakudo for use with mokume gane. i do not have any fine
gold at the moment but i do have plenty of clean 14k yellow scrap.
can i substitute the scrap for fine gold in the shakudo alloy
without any adverse effects? will the silver content of the 14k
affect the shakudo somehow? any advice on this matter will be
greatly appreciated. thanks…@DMorton567 (baton rouge,
louisiana)
Do not use the 14k it may also contain zinc. this will make the
alloy brittle. I think it will also modify the color the shakudo
will turn when patina is applied. Trade your scrap for fine gold
from a refiner.
Jim
@jbin
James Binnion Metal Arts
2916 Chapman St
Oakland, CA 94601
510-436-3552
I don’t think the silver will matter - some shakudo recipes have
silver in them resulting from mixing gold with shibuichi, which as
you know is a copper-silver alloy.
The depletion-gilding aspect will be diminished with the silver
content. I mean, if you DO want to deplete the copper out and
produce a gold-rich surface, you’ll actually get a gold-with-silver
surface, unless you use an acid that depletes the sil too.
I think I’d try it if the o’all amount of the silver was small.
Oh, the silver will also upset any patina results.
I like my shakudo (10 - 12% gold in copper) dark blue/black with a
gentle torch and a whole heap of time, and I don’t know if your
alloy will do this as well.
Brian
B r i a n � A d a m J e w e l l e r y E y e w e a r �
@Brian_Adam1 ph/fx +64 9 817 6816 NEW ZEALAND
http://www.adam.co.nz/workshop/ NEXT - Queenstown Mar11 to Mar18 1998
http://www.adam.co.nz/ruthbaird/ across the bench from me