Working with Sterling Silver

[jeporter02]

I've seen a few custom pens where makers have referred to metal components as "silver." Do people use sterling silver in their pens? If so, does it not tarnish and need to be polished at some point? Does that risk scratching the finish on the pen? How do you minimize waste? Do you order your rings to size from a third party vendor? Do you cut the silver from flat ribbons and solder/shape to size? I'm assuming folks are not drilling out rods of silver and sweeping up silver shavings like you might do with brass or aluminum. Do you silver plate a cheaper metal? Or when people say their components are silver, are they just referring to the color?

 

[BULLWINKLE]

Jeporter ,
I've never worked with it myself. Yes it will tarnish and needs to periodically have oxidation cleaned. Yes people do work with it. I'm guessing some are talented enough to fabricate parts from sheets. Some even hand engrave it. I plan to try it but not having the skills it takes to work it, I plan to buy a Sterling Silver pen kit.

 

[rixstix]

For minimal tarnishing, use Argentium Sterling which is the brightest and whitest, tarnish resistant version of Sterling due to the inclusion of germanium in the recipe.

While the word 'Silver' is used quite often to describe color without using any additional words for clarification. It is against FTC rules to use the word 'Silver' to describe any metal that is not silver because the average consumer will assume silver metal before assuming silver color.

I currently use a punch to make my metal washers from various thickness of sheet. I might try fusing square wire into washers at some point.

Sunshine cloth will remove tarnish without affecting the pen finish if there CA hasn't been used to finish the pen.

 

[carlmorrell]

Many, many years ago, when there were not too many kits around, I started looking overseas for kits. I found more than one style in sterling silver. I made a few. Put them on display, and they tarnished pretty quick. I tried a few ways to prevent it. In the end, I decided there were more friendly materials to work with. A few years ago, I sold the remainder of kits to a fellow penturner.

 

[duncsuss]

.. are they just referring to the color?

There is simply no way for anyone except the individuals (the "they" in your question) to know exactly what "they" mean when "they" use a word, apart from the ones that have specifically answered the question.

For example, John @jalbert has said he uses Argentium Silver, and has posted photos of some castings he made to use in a pen.

Some might buy parts from Mike @mredburn (SilverPenParts.com) to use in their pens, or from another maker.

I recommend when you see a post that leaves you wondering "how did they do that?" - ask the question on that thread and get the answer from the person who knows what they did.