[Jewelry making - Article 00089] - Re: [Orchid] Drag lines on silver

[LSHancock]

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    A few years ago I did a lot of charms and had a similar problem.  I
    called my supplier and they explained to me how they make the sheet.
    All use what is called a continual cast process.  The metal is melted
    and forced through a die. Tthe metal is then immediately rolled
    through the rollers.  That is how they described it to me, hopefully
    I have explained it adequately and accurately.  Anyway, the process
    makes for pretty large crystal formations and if you do very little
    supplimental work to the metal, polish it and then look closely you
    can see a slightly uneven surface; this is due to the nature of the
    crystal structure of the metal.  

    With this system of creating sheet, they seem to get what I call,
    though it is probably not accurate "twisted crystals".  They are not
    so much pits as knotted areas that polish out at a different rate
    than the area around them.  The only way I was able to fix this was
    to be very aggressive on those areas and swirl the item relative to
    the buff so that I didn't polish in any one direction for more that
    a second or two.  Eventually you polish through the "knot" and can
    move on to the next area.  It is a pain, but it's the price we pay
    for low(er) cost production sheet with no pits/cracks.  

    I hope this is helpful.  If I have gotten any of the metalurgical
    theory or production technique wrong please correct me, I'd love to
    know if I'm accurate or not. 

Larry 


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