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Fusing, Soldering, and Keum Boo with Argentium Silver
Discover how easy it is to granulate and fuse this innovative metal under the guidance of renowned Argentium Silver specialist Cynthia Eid. Argentium Sterling (AS) is an alloy that is more than 92.5% pure silver and has some exciting advantages over traditional sterling silver. It does not firescale, is highly tarnish resistant, is more malleable and ductile than traditional sterling, fuses and welds more easily than traditional sterling, and can be hardened using a kitchen oven or kiln!
This course has been created for people who want to become comfortable working with Argentium Sterling Silver sheet and wire. Learn a variety of techniques including annealing, soldering, fusing, and hardening. Argentium Sterling has superb fusing qualities, so demos will also include fusing granules to sheet, sheet to sheet, wire to wire, and gold to Argentium Sterling.
Argentium Sterling is also wonderful for Keum Boo, an ancient Korean gilding technique used to apply thin sheets of gold to silver. Since the surface of Argentium does not need to be heated and pickled as extensively as traditional sterling prior to application of the gold foil, it is an ideal alloy to use with Keum Boo techniques and can create a dramatic effect when patinaed.
Demonstrations will alternate with hands-on practice time. Participants may choose to practice on samples, or to create finished designs. Students with basic jewelry and metalsmithing skills, as well as professionals, are welcome.
Cynthia Eid is an internationally recognized jeweler and silversmith with over 40 years of experience. She has been working with Argentium Silver since 1999, and is the author of the technical guide to Argentium Sterling used by Rio Grande, as well as articles published by the Society of North American Goldsmiths and Art Jewelry magazine. More of her work can be seen on her website www.cynthiaeid.com.
Meet the instructor
Whether using hammers and stakes, or hydraulic press tools, Cynthia's sculptural jewelry and hollowware shows her focus on exploring the fluidity with which metal can be moved, formed, and joined.
Cynthia Eid co-authored the book Creative Metal Forming, with Betty Helen Longhi, published in 2013 by Tim McCreight's Brynmorgen Press. In his foreword for the book, Michael Good says the authors "have succeeded in assembling the first comprehensive textbook on synclastic and anticlastic forming." (More about the book available at www.creativemetalforming.com.)
Cynthia and Betty developed a set of anticlastic stakes, and Eid also works with Knew Concepts and Bonny Doon to help make tools for jewelers and metalsmiths. Lee Marshall has dubbed Cynthia Eid "Godmother of the Knew Concept Saws" since it was her idea for him to produce these saws for jewelers.
Excited about working in sterling silver without the problem of firescale, Cynthia has been working with Argentium Silver since 1999. After meeting Peter Johns (the inventor of Argentium Silver) in 2003, Eid has participated in AS's development. Argentium International, Ltd recognizes her as a Pioneer.
Cynthia Eid's metalwork has won awards for creativity and design, been featured in many publications, and been exhibited internationally. With a BS in Art Education and MFA in Jewelry, Design, and Silversmithing, she has previously worked as a bench jeweler for fine goldsmiths, a model-maker in a gold jewelry factory, and on private commissions. Her work is in museums in the US and UK. Currently an independent metalsmith and educator, she teaches weekly classes at Metalwerx in Massachusetts, and workshops and short courses in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia.
Materials & Tools
Tools And Supplies For Students That Will Be Supplied By The Instructor
Estimated material fees will be provided closer to registration, due to the volatility of the prices of precious metals.
- Argentium Silver Solder
- A piece of Goddard's Long Shine Silver Cloth
- 1" x 6" 24 gauge AS sheet
- 1" x 3" 20 gauge AS sheet
- 24" 20 gauge round wire
- 12" 18 gauge round wire
- 6" 16 gauge round wire
- 6" 14 gauge round wire
- gold for kum boo
- 2" 18KYG for fusing
Tools and Supplies for Students to Bring to Workshop
Metal:
- Students may wish to bring additional Argentium Sterling, according to the gauges and scale that are usually comfortable.
- Additional Argentium Sterling will be available for purchase at the workshop.
- Sources for Argentium Sterling include: Rio Grande, Stuller, Allcraft, G & S Metals, and Hauser and Miller. Though there are other sources, take care not purchase anything that is sold as "like Argentium Silver" or "the same as Argentium Silver". Since this is a patented and licensed alloy, such claims are not reliable.
- Techniques for working with Argentium Sterling will be discussed and demonstrated. Participants may do samples, or work on a piece that expands on one of the demos, or a design/project of their own choice.
- Students may wish to bring a bit of gold scrap or wire for soldering or fusing to Argentium Silver. 18K, 22K and 24K are easier to fuse to AS than 14K.
Tools and Supplies
- Safety glasses and dustmask
- ruler, paper, pencil, fine tipped permanent marker
- Broad-tip Sharpie marker for annealing (useful as a temperature indicator)
- files
- abrasive paper and sanding sticks
- Jeweler's saw and blades, Saw blade lube
- wire cutter
- 3 "dishes" or containers to hold solder chips, such as yogurt lids
- close-toed shoes (safety in case of dropping something hot, sharp, or heavy)
- barrettes and elastic bands for long hair
- 1 or more clean "shop cloths", such as an old towel, (to save on paper towels, and to wrap up your samples at the end of the workshop
- leather gloves
- burnisher
- optivisor or clip-on magnifier-recommended by instructor for fusing
Students might also wish to bring
- metal shears (Hand-held) The instructor recommends Joyce Chen shears, which may be purchased from Allcraft, or at some kitchen suppliers
- Pliers, such as round nose, Chain nose pliers flat, and Half-round/flat combination pliers--- if you have them
- apron
- Camera
- Dividers and/or compass
- Scribe
- Favorite flex shaft tools
- Favorite soldering tools (poker, tweezers, ...)
- A soldering board dedicated to Argentium Silver.
- If you have one you might want to bring your Ultralite Kiln or electric hotplate. We have quite a few in the studio but if you want to bring your own you may.
- Instructor recommends Solderite for soldering, and platinum blocks or silquar/ceramic for fusing.
Participants may wish to prepare for the workshop by reading the following article, which offers a good introduction: "Road Testing Argentium Sterling" (Art Jewelry magazine, Sept. 2006)--- available on-line at www.cynthiaeid.com and www.argentiumsilver.info
*The technical guide offered by Rio Grande is a more detailed article.
Note: If you are flying to the workshop, be sure to put your tools in a checked bag, rather than carry on.