[Jewelry making - Article 00367] - Re: [Orchid] Red vitreous enamel on copper

[kelly luttrell]

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    You might want to try the 103E red (Ninomiya or Aoki) available from
    Enamel work Supply in Seattle. She sells small samples, so it may be
    worth a try. I work primarily on fine silver -- but this has been
    the best behaved red I have ever worked with (beautifully
    transparent with no specks) -- so maybe it will cooperate with
    copper. This enamel was designed to fire directly on silver without
    an undercoat and not turn that ugly orangey-brown color. There is
    also 105-A & 105-B which are both beautiful colors, but I also got
    some of the white specks you mentioned with the 105-A. 

    Also, regarding the specks/contaminants you got in your Schauer reds.
    I purchased 5 colors of the Schauer enamels through Rio (I was so
    excited when they started carrying them.) But alas -- they all had
    strange whitish specks in them after firing. I contacted the sales
    director through Milton Bridge (where I used to buy Schauer enamel in
    bulk -- and never had any problems with the enamel.) He said that
    occasionally refractory material from the manufacturing and grinding
    process of the enamel would contaminate a batch -- but was something
    they seriously tried to prevent in their quality control. But ALL of
    the Schauer enamels I bought from Rio Grande had this problem... it
    was the worst in the red/brown and violet purple. I sent them back,
    and actually had them send me a couple of other samples from other
    lot numbers and still had the same problem. Thankfully Rio Grande has
    amazing customer service, and took the returned enamels and credited
    my account, but I was sooooo disappointed, because Schauer enamel is
    known for it's quality. I have purchased them before and not had the
    problem with the white specks, but am now reluctant to purchase
    Schauer enamels again from Rio in case this is an ongoing recurring
    problem. Has anyone else experienced this ... what is going on!?!?!?!
    Big Bummer!! 

    Well, give the Japanese red enamels a try -- best of luck. P.S.
    Seeing your post reminds me that I need to send in my Enamel Guild
    West dues -- eeeek!! 

Kelly Luttrell Payne
www.indigoflameworks.com
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