Update
on silver filled…
I
thought it might be time to do an update on the silver filled metal I began
using in the 2012 season…
In
May of 2012 I began offering pieces made from silver filled sheet, clad one
side and silver filled wire. I made
pendants, earrings, ear wires & bracelets from this product and I’m happy
to say it was very well received…once I explained how the metal is made, along
with the price point many people were more than happy to give it a try. Having
said that there will always be those who prefer sterling silver items…
During
the summer, I was able to purchase double clad silver filled sheet, silver on
both sides…I’m not sure this is an important feature as it didn’t seem to make
any difference to my customers if one side was brass…
As
a refresher… silver filled metal is a layer of brass to which a layer of
sterling silver has been permanently bonded…it will not wear off! Like sterling silver it will tarnish so keep
your pieces in a baggie with an anti tarnish tab, or clean gently with a
cleaning cloth. As with silver avoid
exposing your pieces to hairspray or other harsh chemicals. This product gives the look of sterling
silver without the cost!
I
found it very easy to work with…texturing is possible with a light touch as it
is softer , I soldered sterling and fine silver for detail, it is also possible
to sand this metal, although again with a light touch, tumbled all finished
pieces for a nice shine and hardness.
In general I treated this metal the same way I would all my sterling silver
pieces.
It
appears silver filled products have found a place in the silver world, as I’ve
noticed there are ear wires, crimps, chains, crimp covers, jump rings, beads,
ball pins, tags, all ready made from silver filled metal…that tells me silver
filled metal will become a readily used and available product for the
future. I like this as the cost of
silver is still high…if fluctuates up and down a few dollars, but continues to
stay higher than hoped for in 2012. I
honestly don’t see anything different happening in 2013.
My
intention is to continue using the silver filled metal in the 2013 season…
As
always feel free to leave a comment or suggestion on my blog or send me an
email at hjcote11@gmail.com.
Have a great week…
Cheers
Cheers
Wow. These are very nice. Wonderful.
ReplyDeleteNicole/Beadwright
thanks for your kind words & stopping by Nicole...
ReplyDeletecheers
I think silver-filled items are nice to work with. They're sturdy but yet still present a nice shine to give designs that professional polish. I love your designs, too! Amazing job :)
ReplyDeleteMarissa Foss, Artbeads.com