[Source] Mixed stainless steel shot

Hello Again Orchid-Landers,

I have another question today, I should have waited until the end of
my workday to post my last one, sorry.

I am in need of mixed stainless steel shot, and appalled at the
prices I am seeing online. I just cannot fathom spending $100 for 10
pounds! It just seems like highway robbery to me!

I dunno, maybe I am just not too savvy about the current prices, but
that just seems ridiculous! Jeeze, you can only get $0.69/pound for
stainless steel scrap when you recycle it, so why so much money for
this? Does anyone know where I can get some for much cheaper? I need
about 6 pounds for my tumbler (3# per barrel). Any help in a better
deal would be MUCH appreciated!

Thanks,
Teresa

Hi Theresa,

The shapes for stainless steel shot are formed to do several jobs.
There are pin shapes, funny planet with ring shapes, oblong shapes,
etc. I know that steel has gone up in price, but I imagine that the
labor to produce these specialized shapes which have discrete jobs to
do for every nook and cranny of your creations is what is driving the
price upwards.

If you are spending a small fortune to get the shot, I bet there are
others that feel the same and splitting the price among a few should
bring your price down.

I just get annoyed when I find the same rotary tumbler from on
non-jewelery tool warehouse costs 4 times as much in the jewelry
catalogs.

Go figure. LOL -k

I am in need of mixed stainless steel shot, and appalled at the
prices I am seeing online. I just cannot fathom spending $100 for
10 pounds! It just seems like highway robbery to me! 

That is actually a good price Some vendors are looking for $160 for
10 lbs

I dunno, maybe I am just not too savvy about the current prices,
but that just seems ridiculous! Jeeze, you can only get $0.69/pound
for stainless steel scrap when you recycle it, so why so much money
for this? 

I feel your pain but isn’t this like someone asking why you want so
much for your jewelry when they can only sell scrap sterling for
$10.00 per oz ? Believe it or not there is a significant amount of
labor and overhead to manufacture, ship, inventory and re- package
and re-ship that bulk stainless into highly polished precisely shaped
mixed shot.

James Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts

I am in need of mixed stainless steel shot, and appalled at the
prices I am seeing online. I just cannot fathom spending $100 for
10 pounds! It just seems like highway robbery to me! 

I do not know where you got your price for stainless shot. Stainless
shot is about $16 per pound, $15 per pound for 5 lbs., $14 per pound
for 10 lbs. These are prices from Johnson Bros. Lapidary,
http://www.jbfc.com, page 5. Stuller is $183 for 10 lbs.

Richard Hart G.G.

Stainless steel shot is much more expensive than just plain steel
shot. I have been using plain shot for years and years and have not
had any problems with rusting. Usually I just leave it in the tumbler
covered with water and plain old ivory soap flakes. I purchase a bar
of Ivory, grateit on my good old kitchen grater,and use it for
tumbling. Cheap and every bit as effective as the more expensive
items.

When I am not going to use the tumbler for an extended period of
time, I remove the shot, rinse them, and dry them thoroughly in my
old toaster oven.

Then I store them in a zip lock back away from any moisture. No
problems, and have never had any rust.

So, you might want to consider saving some money by just getting the
plain steel shot instead of the expensive stainless.

Alma

That seems to be a good price for SS mixed shot. I paid about the
same price back in about 1990. Since then I have cleaned the black
gunk out of it several times with detergent and ammonia. Another
time I mixed it by accident with abrasive media and had to separate
it by hand. I once spilled it on my basement floor and had to sweep
it up. After each accident I cleaned it up. I have lost a little
through the years but it still burnishes silver as good as it ever
did.

David Luck
http://www.davidluckjewelry.com/

I am in need of mixed stainless steel shot, and appalled at the
prices I am seeing online. I just cannot fathom spending $100 for
10 pounds! It just seems like highway robbery to me!

That is actually a good price Some vendors are looking for $160
for 10 lbs 

Like James said, count your blessings that you can purchase 10lbs
for $100. I spend upwards of $25-$30 per pound for some of the
stainless I use for manufacture.

In addition, be glad you can buy just 10 lbs…some of the material
I purchase, your talking a couple hundred pounds of material for a
single sheet.

Lastly, and keep this in mind…that $100 is going to be a ONE TIME
purchase, if you keep your stainless shot in good check, you wont
ever have to purchase this ever again…now spread that cost out
over your life as a jeweler…it becomes pretty insignificant.

P@

I am in need of mixed stainless steel shot, and appalled at the
prices I am seeing online. I just cannot fathom spending $100 for
10 pounds! It just seems like highway robbery to me! 

Okay, does anyone else want to know where this shot is being sold
for $10 a pound?

You are all great.
Bobbie Horn
Brownfield, TX