Chimaera Posted November 17, 2020 Author Share Posted November 17, 2020 Thanks for the advice. I'd rather not mess with zinc as well. The gold dollar coins are a little expensive for me, so I'll probably stick with some copper pipe for now. I haven't really seen bronze for sale, anywhere. I really want to cast a bronze letter opener for my brother, and it would be good for mokume, so do you know where I could get that? Or would I have to make it with some copper and tin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 Try Cincinnati, "Metal Supermarkets", they list bronze. 513-942-8222. 4766 Dues Dr, Unit C. Give them a call, the online contact links rarely work for small sales like us. The search terms I used were, "Bronze sales, Cincinnati." I live in Alaska if you hadn't noticed. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 For bronze try searching for "bronze for sale" for on line sellers. Or buy bronze brazing rods either on line or anywhere selling welding supplies. Some metal scrap and recycling dealers will sell what they have in small quantities. Call them by phone, DO NOT rely on web sites or email. I have bought new bronze at a metal recycling firm in Denver. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 Are you following me George!? Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 Just coincidence. Great minds work alike. GNM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 COIN cidence? I'm hearing the "Twilight Zone" theme now. You didn't name an orange tabby cat, "Mokume Gato," did you? A little time doing this stuff and some answers are top of everybody's list. G'night George, Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 G'night yourself. My bed is calling. A big day tomorrow, nice weather and moving rocks and boulders for a land scaping project. G. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 Please note that the terms Brass and Bronze are no longer predicated on the presence or lack of zinc in the commercial world. GET THE ALLOY COMPOSITION! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimaera Posted November 17, 2020 Author Share Posted November 17, 2020 Ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 It's a pretty day here George, sunny, clear, mountains on splendid display but cold enough for an Alaskan to wear their puffy coats. No wind though so it's not so bad. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 I'd be cold wearing a short sleeve shirt except that the SUN is trying to fry us with ionizing radiation. Working from home means I can go out to the shop during lunch hour! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 Me too and the sun is perfectly willing to irradiate you here but you're so cold you don't notice it. You'd be amazed at the "sun"burns you see. I could eat lunch in the shop too but it's in the single digits there too. I don't mind a cold lunch but I'd rather not need an ice pick. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 Fellow Denizens, Up north, the sun can be a serious problem. The Inuit know all about sun blindness. (and also how to cope with it), (sun blindness glasses). Northern folks also cover up to protect themselves from sunburn. The snow becomes a gigantic sun tan reflector. With all those considerations I would trade Saint Louis, Missouri for Fairbanks, Alaska, or White Horse NWT any day. SLAG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 67 degF, blinding sun. Our Thermonuclear heater is doing such a great job that we are opening windows to cool the place down! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 Speaking of inhumanly searing NM. Are you watching the: Leonids, Southern Taurids and Northern Taurids? I forgot to ask yesterday so more folks probably missed the penumbral eclipse of the moon. This is one busy November for sandblasting our planet. I'd really like to know what the surface conditions on the moon are like passing through cometary debris trails. Frosty The Lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 Just to bring the thread back from weather and astronomical excursions, silver, including coin silver and sterling silver can be included in mokume gane. Silver should bind with copper very well and would give a nice contrast. If you are starting with old sterling spoons and forks (make sure they are marked "sterling" or ".925", otherwise they are plate, probably over brass) you may have to melt and then beat or roll the ingot out to get a good blank for the stack. My experience with forging silver is that it has a narrow window of forging heat between soft and melting, particularly with sterling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimaera Posted November 18, 2020 Author Share Posted November 18, 2020 Thank you. Would silver bond to steel? i.e. could I take a small steel thing (think jelly roll pan but mini) and pour the molten silver onto that to give a smooth, thin sheet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 I'm not sure about steel. I think I'd use a parting compound, e.g. White Out, like is used in canister welding. Also, I'd have the mold cleaned and polished within an inch of its life to minimize bonding. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimaera Posted November 18, 2020 Author Share Posted November 18, 2020 Yep, figured it needed to be polished and have something to keep it from bonding Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 Yes you can silver solder steel. If you want to get a thin layer expect to roll it or hammer it! Fine silver works a lot easier than sterling. (I used to buy silver ingot and cut slices from it and hot forge it into early medieval "hack silver" jewelry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 use White-OutⓇ. or Ochre powder as a berrier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimaera Posted November 19, 2020 Author Share Posted November 19, 2020 On 11/16/2020 at 7:14 PM, Steve Sells said: Just made this. Have to let my steel plates soak in vinegar overnight, though to get the zinc off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 How thick are your plates? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimaera Posted November 19, 2020 Author Share Posted November 19, 2020 I'm doing three of them on either side which comes to 1/4" on either side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 I don't think layers will act the same as a monolithic piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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