Platinum. overlays

[jerrywh]

Question. How good does platinum take teeth. Like single teeth for overlays?

 

[SamW]

Jerry, platinum work hardens fast (first blow) so you would need strong teeth and a good setting hit first time (or start over). I have only had luck setting platinum with the single parallel wire method with good strong undercuts for each groove. Platinum requires about 2100 degrees to anneal by the way...took me a long time to realize that which caused me much trouble trying to inlay fairly hard wire.

 

[mitch]

make sure you use PURE PLATINUM. not any alloys. Hoover & Strong carries it as a special order item in wire & sheet, but you have to ask for it. the pure stuff works much like 24k yellow gold, but as Sam noted, work hardens quickly. you need to be more particular about fitting inlays to cavities because it won't 'flow' infinitely like gold.

 

[jerrywh]

Thanks Sam and Mitch.

 

[Chujybear]

I’m surprised to hear platinum work hardens quickly. I don’t doubt it, i have never tried to inlay with it.. but i love sculpting it!

 

[mitch]

it's not horrible, but we engravers have been spoiled playing with infinitely ductile, malleable, 24k gold.