What is a Reduction Flame and a Striking Flame..how do you know what to use.

[BeckyNoe]

I see alot of comments about a reduction flame and a striking flame...but don't know what they are or what they should look like. I've tried a google search but came up empty. Does anyone have any pictures of the two and would they be different for a Natual Gas user?

Thanks in advance
Becky

[Alaska]

Both "Passing the Flame" and Contemporary Lampworking" are excellent texts that answer a lot of questions. Suggested reading for all lampworkers.

[BeckyNoe]

they are on my list to buy...but man they are costly. Thank you.

[kbinkster]

A reduction flame is a flame that is fuel-rich. When you introduce a glass into that kind of flame, it seeks out oxygen to burn and pulls the oxygen it needs from the glass. The oxygen in the glass is in the form of the metal oxides used to color it. The oxygen gets pulled out and what's left behind are the metals. On some glass, this can be a pretty effect. On other glass, it can be muddy and ugly.

Flame striking is a process where you develop the color of a glass with heating and cooling it. Sometimes, you use an oxygen rich flame in the process.

On a torch, the presence, length, or absence of yellow or white tips on the ends of your candles will tell you whether your flame is neutral (3/8" candles will have 1-2 mm tips), oxygen rich (no tips), or fuel rich (3/8" candles will have tips longer than 2 mm and the tips will start to feather). It is harder to see the tips when using natural gas.

[nwmud]

go to NORTHSTAR Glass
they have info on the different flames as well as videos.

good resource.

[Eileen]

doublehelixglassworks.com also has some videos that show the different flames, but I don't know if they'll match your particular setup. Still interesting though.
look under "information" in the top menu.

[istandalone24/7]

also check out Glass Alchemy's boromax chemistry guide. it goes over why colors do what they do, and how to set and check for the different flame chemistries.

for $30 and it comes with a 5" stick of most of their colors.
http://www.mountainglass.com/The-Alchemists-Guide-To-Boromax-Chemistry.html

[wdgross]

A reduction flame is a flame that is fuel-rich. When you introduce a glass into that kind of flame, it seeks out oxygen to burn and pulls the oxygen it needs from the glass. The oxygen in the glass is in the form of the metal oxides used to color it. The oxygen gets pulled out and what's left behind are the metals. On some glass, this can be a pretty effect. On other glass, it can be muddy and ugly.

Flame striking is a process where you develop the color of a glass with heating and cooling it. Sometimes, you use an oxygen rich flame in the process.

On a torch, the presence, length, or absence of yellow or white tips on the ends of your candles will tell you whether your flame is neutral (3/8" candles will have 1-2 mm tips), oxygen rich (no tips), or fuel rich (3/8" candles will have tips longer than 2 mm and the tips will start to feather). It is harder to see the tips when using natural gas.

This is the nicest explanation I've heard for reduction and striking - thank you Kimberly

[ASamples33]

I agree with Wally. Thanks Kimberly

[allicat]

if I can add just a bit more, striking glass also contains silver, but in striking glass you are trying to re-order those silver crystals to reflect back light waves in certain colors. They usually require a lot of heat initially to free the silver crystals, like drippy, falling off the mandrel hot (and they usually turn clear) and they prefer a more oxygen rich flame. Subsequent reheatings, after letting the glass cool to just past glowing temps, cause the growth of larger silver crystals. The light reflecting off those larger crystals creates your color. Somewhere I remember seeing small crystals are yellowy, big ones are purple/blue. Not sure where reds or greens fall.

HTH
Alli

[Lizzydee]

good info