Stirling silver wire?

[Chelly77]

Afternoon all,

I fancy having a play with Silver wire and I have a few questions:

What size do I need to get?
Do I just get the bead hot, but not glowing and wrap it around the bead?

Ta
Chelly

[Graeme]

I tried Sterling silver wire but found it turned grey when heated, so I switched to fine silver wire, this keeps the silver colour. I tend to either drop it on as small balls by direct heat or wrap it, but it gets b*****y hot really quick

Graeme

[Helen G]

Yes, Sterling has small amount of copper in it to make it more durable and this tends to come to the surface. Stick to fine silver, I think you can pretty much use any diameter, I think the stuff I bought the other day is 0.4mm

[lorrainelee]

You are likely to get firescale with sterling silver (the darkening that Graeme got) and so you really do need fine silver (99% pure rather than sterling which is 92.5% with 7.5% copper etc.)
Anyone tried with Argentium Sterling, which is not supposed to be prone to firescale?
Lorraine

[mizgeorge]

Argentium is better than sterling. But almost impossible to buy in the UK (even though it was developed here).

Fine works best imo

[Trudi]

I use fine silver wire too - there's a seller on Ebay cc cool (or something similar) that sells it!!

The best way I find to attach is to heat a spot on the bead really hot - quickly stick the wire on - wind it round and cut off in the flame!

HTH

[sublimekate]

I use 0.3mm fine silver wire.

I get big reels from http://www.palmermetals.co.uk/Wire/SilverWire/FineSilverWire/default.aspx but it's pricey to buy bulk or smaller amounts from http://www.thedragonflycompany.com/othersupplies.html 10ft for £2.15.

Kate xx

[Kaz]

I buy from Lynne at Dragonfly too. Pure silver only. I tend to heat a spot on the bead to runny then anchor the end of the wire into it and then wrap, melt off and melt in. Or use smaller bits and use the pliers to apply it where I want it.
Kazx