Need help with an inlay decision Please.

[edgrabow15]

Hi everyone, I'm working on a practice piece that I plan on keeping displayed at my home of an Anchor with a piece of rope attached to it and USN across it on the bottom on a 2 inch round disc of mild steel. I'm a Navy Veteran and it's a take off of the Navy Anchor displayed on some of the dress uniform hat. I plan on inlaying Brass, Copper and a bit of silver from a piece of wire I made from melted down silver scraps a while back, my question is, there are places where the metals will be touching each other and I dont want to ruin an inlayed piece while inlaying another type because it was harder than the adjoining piece. So which should ? I'm thinking that the Brass should go 1st, followed by the Copper and finally the Silver. Is my order correct or am I completely wrong ? Does it even make a difference ? I really would appreciate any help I could get on the matter. Thanks everyone " KEEP GROOVING"

 

[mitch]

That would be the proper order.

 

[edgrabow15]

Thanks Mitch. Appreciate the help.

 

[jerrywh]

One thing to consider is the silver sterling or pure. Mitch is correct. Sterl;ing is about as hard as brass.

 

[edgrabow15]

One thing to consider is the silver sterling or pure. Mitch is correct. Sterling is about as hard as brass.

I didn't know that, thanks,its straight silver .a small amt that I made into some wire myself about 6 weeks ago,I was afraid to mix the 2 not knowing if it would be a difference so I aired on the side of caution. Can you mix the 2 and than purify it some way without having to become a chemist to do it ?


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[jerrywh]

Sterling silver is 92% silver and usually 7 1/2 % copper or some other metal. Anything you add to pure silver will make it harder and less ductile. It also changes the annealing temp. Pure silver anneals at 500° F. Sterling requires about 1350° to anneal. A easy way to tell the difference is to heat it red hot. If it has any other metal in it it will turn gray of almost black. Pure silver will remain white no matter how hot you heat it.