[Jewelry making - Article 00166] - Re: [Orchid] Working with Shibuichi?

[R . E . Rourke]

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    I love the stuff! both shibuichi and shakudo.I made a tile set using
    different torches ( water torch, oxy/acetylene mecco type,
    prestolite type ( room air and MAPP), and standard torch with propane
    /O2 just to see if the gasses and pressures ( plus my altitudes,i did
    some below sea level and some at 2886 on the altimeter).Got the best
    results with the water torch at the highest altitude, adn the Mapp/O2
    at the lowest.I have found that masquing out areas helps direct the
    colouration considerably if I mix a bit of powdered graphite into
    the masque.I get the deepest hues when the material is highly
    annealed and cold when i start to essay colours,compared to evenly
    heated or using heat sinks strategically placed and a tripod.. 

    As far as permanance: if i use a good stripping stregth Nitric or
    HCl acid dip before using the metal the oxide layer has a better
    chance to penetrate beyond the surface without leaning towards an
    oxidising flame size (except forthe water torch-different rulesand
    theorems altogether!).I also never use anything but leather instead
    of (scratch) brushing with stiff bristles ( i never cross contaminate
    my pure metals with brass or stainless steel scratch brushes as an
    side that is evident in the reistance of metal that has been
    scratchbrushed to allow as deep penetration,and as evenl a layer
    opposed to the unpredictability-some might call texture or
    spotty,almost spider webby matrix like appearance as that which has a
    microlayer of brass or other undesireable metals deposited on the
    surface due to the pressure a person with average hand strength might
    scrub with to remove the pickle white,. I have gotten some nice
    results making my own shibuichi too by just bumping up the percentage
    of 24 kt Au to between 7 and 8.if i'm making thick sheet or
    tubing,and a standard 6-7% if it is destined to be thinner, slit
    strip, bezel strip or some sort of shaped wire,etc. 

    JlCollier is quite adept at manipulating the alloy,and you may want
    to take look at his works (www.jlcollier.com).He claims to be fairly
    new to metalsmithing but you would never guess it from his work. His
    work is destined for great recognition and permanent collections if
    there is any truth to his only having been doing it briefly relative
    to the time it takes for an individual to amass the skills he
    already has mastered. I cna't wait to see what he's doing in about 5
    years if he doesn't get bored working with japanese alloys or being a
    metaslmith in general in that time frame....his colourations are
    wondrous in some pieces i saw on his site. He is an Orchid member,
    and I hope he won't mind my citing his "experiments" and applications
    as illustration for the possibilities.. 

    I would love to list a table of what i've found and a range within
    certain temps at x time with x equipment, but I'm fairly positive it
    would make some cringe.So feeel free to contact me off Orchid if
    you'd like to discussit furtherr and compare findings.. 

R.E.Rourke
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