[Jewelry making - Article 00574] - Re: [Orchid] First Argentium Sterling Adventure

[Trevor F.]

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>     Kidding, but I noticed that the activation temp and time has gone
>     from 300 degrees for 30 minutes down to 250 for 10? 

    The bake times for Argentium Sterling (AS)are generally pretty
    flexible because it's a more-is-better thing, but there are a few
    points worth remembering: 

    - baking at 250-300 C (not F) for 30+ mins is the precipitation
    hardening process, not the tarnish resistance "activation" process.
    Very different things with very different goals in mind. 

    - if you're simply trying to "activate" the AS then yes, baking at
    250-300 F (not C) will do that but as I've said it's a
    heat-times-time thing, in other words it's no biggie to lower the
    temp but you will need to extend the times to get the same
    "activation" effect, more or less. 

    For example I "activate" my AS by heating it to about 700 C for
    about 15-20 seconds, a "quick bake" if you want to call it that. The
    point is that a little heat for a long time will give roughly the
    same effect as a lot of heat for a short time. And more is better so
    don't feel that you can over-do it because you can't. 

    The more you heat AS --assuming you don't take it above dullest
    red-- the more the germanium will migrate toward the surface and
    react with oxygen, thereby "activating" your AS more and more. As far
    as I've been able to tell the net effect of more heatings is deeper
    and deeper penetration of the tarnish resistant "skin" on the metal,
    to the point where stock 2mm or thinner will become completely
    "activated" such that no part of the metal is untreated, regardless
    of whether you cut and score it or not. As ever your mileage may
    vary. 

Cheers,
Trevor F.
in The City of Light
Visit TouchMetal.com at http://www.touchmetal.com
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