Silver Source??

[maryw]

I would like to know where I might purchase sterling silver for bracelets. I asked before but have not been able to find the answer on the forum. What would be the best size, weight, etc.? I believe that I was told before that the company (?) could cut the length I would like to have. Then - would you suggest that I get the GRS tool used to bend the silver into the shape?? Also would like to do pendants for a necklace. I am so anxious/excited to do this - really appreciate your help. Thanks.
Mary W

 

[cowboy_silversmith]

Rio Grande (800) 545-6566
Academy Precision Materials (800)854-8595
American Bullion Investment, Inc. (310) 769-0600

Mary W~ I usually use 16 gauge for the bracelets I make but others I know also use 18 gauge and even as light as 20 gauge. I will use 18 gauge if I overlay the bracelet with other materials. I do not have the GRS bracelet bender so I have no advice in that arena.

Best regards,
Greg Pauline

 

[PS_Bond]

Going slightly tangential - have you looked at Argentium silver at all? Assays the same as sterling silver (925), but has a high degree of tarnish & firestain resistance. It handles differently in a couple of ways, not least is just how brittle it is at soldering temperatures - as I found to my cost yesterday. Ah well, live & learn - but a maintenance-free silver has a lot of appeal.

My last lot came from G&S, but Rio Grande, Hoover & Strong, Stuller et al all carry it.

HTH

 

[chris]

hi
maryw
if you bye annealed or enneal it your self it will be pretty soft some silver workers engrave the bracelets flat and use a cut off baseball bat as a mandrel and slowly tap the silver around the bat with a raw hide mallet before all these modern type benders i hope this helps in some way
chris

 

[ken dixon]

Mary , you might try indian jewelers supply 1-800-545-6540 I have found them to be better price on silver than rio grande. I use 16 ga for bracelets and dome them with a homemade device much like the GRS one, for the mandrel itself I used a 2" trailer hitch ball. I'm sure the GRS unit would be top notch. I tried the argentium and found it engraved a little different than plain sterling, not bad but different. I make round 1" pendants from 20ga and dome them with the wood dapping block from indian jewelers, It's inexpensive and works well. Ken

 

[steichman]

Maryw, Stuller is a good sorce for silver, sterling,and gold visit them at stuller.com to set up an account.Bending is simple, but do this after it is engraved. cover with thick clear tape. us any soft mallet to bend. i use the horn of my anvil. any wrist shaped object will do.
steve

 

[monk]

i recently purchased the grs metal former for bracelet forming. a very well made, sturdy, and easy to use tool. but, you will have to sell quite a few bracelets to justify the price.it isn't all that difficult to hammer form on hardwood or metal mandrels. i have also used a large metal pan filled with lead. when the lead deforms, simply torch it till it melts and flows flat. don't breathe the fumes from this heating !!!!!

 

[RoycroftRon]

Silver suppliers:

T.B Hagstoz & Son
http://www.silversmithing.com/hagstoz/

Hauser and Miller
http://www.hauserandmiller.com/

Hoover and Strong
http://www.hooverandstrong.com/mill/flatsheet_specs.htm

And Rio Grande

Watch the market, It is going down slowly at the moment. A few years back it was $5 an troy oz, then it shot up to over $14 and now is at $12.50

 

[Marrinan]

Mary W, while the press will form, I have found, over 20 years of silver jewelry, that I want my project to work harded in the final phase-for bracelets that is in the final bending-this work hardening helps reduce the bending the customer might experience if they catch the bracelet on something-Personally if I were to use a press I would tap the piece or temper to bring back some hardness or spring-Fred

 

[Haraga.com]

I just went and looked at the GRS bender and I think for 199$ it would be worth the investment. It looks like all of the replies are filled with good advice on suppliers. I use Rio for large (over 100 oz. orders. Indian when I am ordering GF and Stuller for Argent. We are slowly moving to all Argent.

 

[Haraga.com]

P.S. If you use 16 ga. and dome it it will be plenty tough.

 

[Haraga.com]

C&D Silver in Phoenix will cut silver to any size that you would like. They are set up for small orders. 867-4174 I think.

 

[jmcutting]

Haraga,

Do you notice much difference with the Argent. silver???

-justin

 

[Haraga.com]

No changes with argent. in the cold form. It is very ductile. It cuts nice. You must not leave it in a high powered ultrasonic very long or it will remove some of the deox. characteristics.

 

[PS_Bond]

I felt that it was perhaps more forgiving cold than sterling - seemed to take longer to work harden. Hot, however... The hard Argentium solder has a melting point just below that of "normal" medium solder, and flows about as well as easy - I found I had to use more solder than I would with 925 hard. Also, when they say it is brittle at heat, they aren't kidding - a part-formed piece sagged and then snapped whilst soldering at the weekend. Should have supported it. It's a learning curve, but I think it's worthwhile.

 

[Haraga.com]

I agree with Peter.