[Jewelry making - Article 00240] - Re: [Orchid] Sterling Silver and Nickel

[don iorns]

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>     The main reason you will not find silver/nickel sterling
>     alloys is that they do not mix. They are virtually insoluble in
>     each other otherwise it would be an easy way to make a harder
>     sterling alloy. But if they did and there was no more than 7.5 %
>     nickel by law you could certainly call it sterling. 

    My curiosity has been engaged by Mr Binnion's comment on the
    solubility of nickel in a sterling alloy. To provide more "spring" in
    a clasp or catch, it is not uncommon to alloy the sterling by using
    coin metal. New Zealand "silver" coins were an alloy of 75% copper/
    25% nickel. The resulting sterling alloy therefore runs out as
    925/1000 fine silver, 56.25/1000 copper and 18.75/1000 nickel. Not
    being a metallurgist I am now curious to know why the melt appears
    to absorb the nickel when it is presented in an already partially
    alloyed form via the "silver" coin as distinct from the apparent
    difficulties when adding pure nickel. 


 
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