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| Tips, Techniques, and Questions -- Technical questions or tips |
2011-05-20, 4:58pm
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Chief Creative Goddess
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Join Date: Feb 19, 2011
Location: Reno Nevada
Posts: 719
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Fine silver? Sterling? Aluminum?
Hello all you smart LE'ers!!
I need your help please! I got an old Dyna kiln from a wonderful older friend and there were lots of treasures inside. Old enamel (full of fun and toxic lead I'm sure--but the colors....oh!) and copper shapes, along with what looks like cuff link blanks and other silver colored items. I can't imagine using sterling in the kiln; fine silver yes. Could they be aluminum? Fine silver? How can I tell or test? There is no tarnish.
I also have some other parts and pieces (in a Rio Grande jar) I'd like to know the metal of. Any suggestions out there on how to test? I've heard of the streak test for gold on unglazed porcelain.......
Thanks for any ideas and cheap testing processes!
Smiles, Sheri
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2011-05-20, 5:46pm
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Mr Brutus RIP
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Join Date: Apr 29, 2006
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 4,369
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what about a magnet? doesn't a magnet NOT pick up sterling and gold? I could be WAY off with that tho......kids are making me crazy!! LOL
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2011-05-21, 4:15am
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jun 21, 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 4,629
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A magnet only tells you it's not ferrous metal - lots of metals are non magnetic. However in this case it could be useful to find out. Most unlikely not fine silver- too soft, could be sterling, but most likely to be rhodium plating over a base metal ( which could be magnetic).
Pics could help?
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2011-05-21, 5:57pm
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Chief Creative Goddess
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Join Date: Feb 19, 2011
Location: Reno Nevada
Posts: 719
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will get some images up soon-thanks!
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2011-05-23, 8:52am
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I fart diamonds
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Join Date: Jun 14, 2005
Location: Altamonte Springs, FL
Posts: 3,893
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They could be stainless steel.
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-Shawnette the original "everybody get a grip" girl
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2011-05-23, 11:50am
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Nov 23, 2007
Location: Portland OR
Posts: 1,332
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BTW, I doubt she used the silver-colored metal objects IN the kiln, she probably made fused glass or fired ceramic in the kiln, and then mounted them onto the cufflink blanks. They are likely to be base metal. Look for something similar at Rio Grande or something.
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~Jenny
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"In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice; in practice there is." ~ Chuck Reid
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2011-05-23, 11:58am
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Growing Edge Glass
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Join Date: Jul 05, 2008
Posts: 2,539
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A friend of mine gave me a huge box of enamels, copper shapes and silver shapes too. These were from way back, she said. In the box are some silver, textured domed pieces that are very bright silvery. I think they must be a patterned aluminum as they are lightweight and show no tarnish at all.
Might be the same thing that you have...will wait to see your pics.
I don't have any suggestions for testing your metals...I usually can eyeball something and tell by the weight, also, what type of metal it is.
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~Mikelene
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-glass cabochons, clay pendants~~~
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-jewelry~~~
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~~~
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2011-05-26, 4:21pm
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Chief Creative Goddess
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Join Date: Feb 19, 2011
Location: Reno Nevada
Posts: 719
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Thanks all! I actually just bought a gold and silver testing kit as I have a pile of weird stuff I want to check. I finally found the SS mark on the cuff link parts and so those are good.
I have to agree with the aluminum guess from Mikelene--mine are exactly like that too! Been too busy to stop, find the camera, shoot, upload....hopefully this 3 day weekend!!
I think the test kit is what will help me know for sure. I'd hate to sell or trade or toss the wrong metal!! Thanks for all your help to everyone who answered!!
BTW Mikelene, what are you going to do with your box of goodies?
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2011-05-26, 4:24pm
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Chief Creative Goddess
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Join Date: Feb 19, 2011
Location: Reno Nevada
Posts: 719
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The test kit was only $30 or so--with several gold kt level testers along with silver and platinum (I wish!!) Hope it works! Will know when it gets here in a week or so--the guy that I bought it from fell and is the hospital--ouch! Some days are better than others, yes?!!
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