Silver solder formulation for fine silver

Jewelry Discussion
1

Master Surpin,

Are you able to suggest any silver solder formulation that I could
apply to fine silver without having to sacrifice a claim of fine
silver on the main work?

Or is fusing my only answer?

Andrew Jonathan Fine

1 Like
2 
Are you able to suggest any silver solder formulation that I could
apply to fine silver without having to sacrifice a claim of fine
silver on the main work? Or is fusing my only answer?

This is a difficult question. To make silver solder, one has use some
copper. Regular sterling is a good solder for fine silver. As far as
calling it fine depends on how many solder joints and how they are
executed. It is understood that soldering involves some other metal.
With disclosure to a client it should be ok. After all, it is not for
investment purposes. This has to be stated upfront.

Option of fusing will preserve the purity, but limit what can be
done. Fusing can be used only in specific instances. I can suggest
another route, which is using 950 silver. But one has to make it. I
am not aware of any commercial source.

Leonid Surpin

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I can suggest another route, which is using 950 silver. But one
has to make it. I am not aware of any commercial source.

Having the means to alloy your silver, cast it and mill it as you
please, do listen to Leonid.

950 Silver has none of the problems related to 925 silver. A mere
0.025% has a lot to answer for. Adhering to the ‘925’ has led to all
of those patented formulae, but 950 makes them irrelevant.

Buy your silver as fine silver. Alloy it to 950. Then you can use
925 as solder.

Alastair

4 
950 Silver has none of the problems related to 925 silver. A mere
0.025% has a lot to answer for. Adhering to the '925' has led to
all of those patented formulae, but 950 makes them irrelevant.

.999 is 99.9 %
.950 is 95.0 %
.925 is 92.5 %

so I guess if 0.025% has a lot to answer for, then.025 has ten times
more to answer for.

I have to say that’s the best advice I’ve heard in a while, units
notwithstanding. And I’m learning really fast that the art jewelry
niche that I’m falling into really doesn’t demand hallmarking.

Maybe I should revive the Britannia standard (958) so I can at least
refer to that in descriptions!

Andrew Jonathan Fine

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Thanks Andrew! Yes I mean a ‘Mere 2.5%’, a big difference from a
misguided 0.025%.

The benefits available are worth more than a few % of silver.

Alastair

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This is a very old post, so a I understand if my reply leads to nothing. I am very interested in finding a replacement for .925 silver as the I have found the problems with it quite profound and none of the tarnish resistant alloys seemed good to me. I am specifically interested in two things that would cause me to completely switch over to .950.

Number one: hardness. How much softer is .950 alloy and how much of an effect does this have on using it as a replacement for sterling?

Number two: Firestain. How does the .950 alloy compare in terms of firestain vs the .925 alloy.

Thank you

7

I’ve worked with .950 for the past 27 years

It oxidizes a bit slower, it’s also softer and Easter to work with , firestain is the same as 925 if you are not careful with temperature and flux, in the past couple of years a few “anti oxidizing “ alloys hace showed u here ( they look just like copper) but they do reduce or slow down a bit oxidation ( firestain not so much)

These alloys that I’m talking about are imported from Italy ( my studio is in Mexico)

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Thanks for a fast reply. Was not expecting that! :slight_smile:

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Feels like Back-To-The-Future given the dates LOL