Jewelry Solder

[wowilson]

A friend of mine was teaching me some basic jewelry repair techniques and most of what I learned revolved around the use of gold solder. My question is this, Can gold solder be used as inlay material? Could you either heat it until it balls up and then inlay? Or is it possible to flow the solder into a prepared cavity? Anyone ever tried this?

 

[silverchip]

It has been done with silver solder but to my knowledge only on bits and spurs. I won't name the prominent fellow known to some here to save him some embarrassment. But as for the practicality of the concept , I think that is why we use wire and sheet gold and silver today.Just save yourself some pain and grief and learn to inlay in the conventional method.

 

[wowilson]

Thanks for replying. I just wondering about that since you can file, sand buff and polish the stuff, I thought maybe it would work.

 

[Southern Custom]

Funny you bring this up. I just finished inlaying a piece of brass into a flintlock barrel that an acquaintance thought he could just melt brass or at least silver solder into. Well that was a fiasco and guess who he calls. This was annealed brass. (by the way. this was hard stuff even annealed. not for a delicate inlay. Cut very deeply with a very deep dovetail.)
Layne

 

[atexascowboy2011]

Flow it once and you're branded for life.
Yes, it's possible, but ,IMO, your moral integrity will suffer for it.
Inlaying is harder to accomplish, therefore making the piece more valuable.
Silverchip said it best when he stated that it would embarrass those of prominence who use the technique.
Reason being is that it it a poor, but quick, substitute for the real thing.

IF, you are going to flow your precious metals, at least use the real thing ; ie. fine silver/ 24 kt. gold.

The TCAA's Mark Dahl has a "YT" tutorial on this technique, if you're still interested.

 

[Brian Marshall]

Precious metal solder requires heat. Lots of it. Flux. Lots of it.

So you have to deal with the effects of both. Annealing, firescale, bubbles, voids and pits to start with.

I you do not have quite a bit of HEAVY solder experience beforehand, I can just about guarantee you are not gonna be happy with the result.

Even if you do have the confidence and skillset, there are very few instances where this method would even be considered.


Just the size of the flame used - sends most goldsmiths running outta the room with a tucked tail.

Silversmiths are used to it... We use flight deck torches to make cigar box sized silver boxes. Two of 'em at the same time, to keep the heat even.


It's been done with dental amalgams too... I've seen the stuff come across my bench a coupla times over the years. I send it back where it came from.

On top of all that, solder does not engrave well! (nor do the amalgams)



Brian

 

[JakeW]

I am a jeweler and have done it in jewelry but it is much better to inlay it. I actually engraved a piece of silver with a wheat pattern then flowed gold solder in my wheat pattern and it was a big fail. After flowing it I had to sand down the solder and the wheat pattern didn't come out everywhere. If I kept practicing I am sure I could make it come out better but don't think it is worth it. My goal was to not have it engraved but oxidize the silver black then have the gold solder in the wheat pattern. Was a good idea but didn't work as as I had hoped

 

[wowilson]

Thanks for the answers, sounds like it is not worth messing with.

 

[silverchip]

That is what they all said but never get it to work.

I am a jeweler and have done it in jewelry but it is much better to inlay it. I actually engraved a piece of silver with a wheat pattern then flowed gold solder in my wheat pattern and it was a big fail. After flowing it I had to sand down the solder and the wheat pattern didn't come out everywhere. If I kept practicing I am sure I could make it come out better but don't think it is worth it. My goal was to not have it engraved but oxidize the silver black then have the gold solder in the wheat pattern. Was a good idea but didn't work as as I had hoped

 

[Haraga.com]

People that inlay with solder are no more embarrassed than the guys that use low temperature solders to attach overlays. People are always looking for the quick and easy solution.

 

[Brian Marshall]

Rivets, Leonard, they call 'em rivets...

Remember Vic and the watertight frogs line?

"I don't know, but I been told..."


Brian