About using silver wire on beads
 

We've all used it on beads from time to time. It looks gorgeous on simple beads, around the center then etched. I've noticed ALOT of them for sale in FB groups lately. I am referring to fine silver, not sterling or silver color.

My questions - If you have used fine silver in your beads and still have them (more than a year old), if you wouldn't mind telling me what do they look like ? Has the silver tarnished ? If so, have you cleaned it using a silver cleaning cloth ? If you have, how does the bead look afterward ?
Anxious to hear your results. :)

Fine silver does not tarnish like sterling does. The balls remain nice and bright.
My biggest issue is that they need to be treated gently or the balls pop off.

Debbie, I've got some that were made about 15 years ago, and yes, the fine silver will eventually dull. I just use a polishing cloth and it's all good again.
If the beads of silver are popping off, you need to heat, cool, heat, cool, repeatedly, until the silver balls sink slightly below the glass surface, while still showing a good portion of silver. This 'encases' them slightly and no popping off.

It must tarnish because I have a couple of beads with fine silver on them and they needed to be shined up recently. I've had them for a LONG time.

We must of posted at the same time ESC. lol ! I'm just curious what the beads look like after a lot of time and I'd say 15 years is a good long time. :)

You could also be getting tarnish from body oils and salts if the silver is in contact with the skin or if they are fondled by the wearer.

Nope, these beads have never been worn nor touched by anyone but me. Also, the silver has stayed in place.

I think time and moisture tarnishes the silver. I have some that sit and aren't touched, but still tarnish. I live in a humid area. Polishing them cleans it right up.

Put a small piece of chalk in with any silver and it won't tarnish.

I have better luck with a slow even heat, just one time. Silver "off-gases" in the flame and this happens each time you reheat, causing the glass around the silver to bubble and pit. At least that is my experience.

Huh. I'll have to pay more attention next time and see what it's actually doing. I do know it tends to fume susceptible glass if you reheat, so I'm careful with those.

Thanks for this Elizabeth, I have some cool ones I made but there are bubbles under the silver, Does this make the beads weaker?

Thanks Caroline

I hadn't connected those dots before, but that's exactly what happens for me too.