Sterling silver FILLED wire

[laura]

Is anyone working with it? I've discovered this stuff on Etsy, and bought 0.8mm for the earwires. Thinking of buying other gauges for wire wrapping..

(I truly hate the "traditional" silver plated because there's so little you can do with it and it's so fake.. with copper showing in the ends and any scrathes)

[las]

Hi ,
I am not working with silver filled yet. I was looking at it as an option though and would love to hear feed back as well.
I also would like to know what is the recomended earwire gauge? And can you ball the ends with silver filled wire ?
Lee-Ann

[laura]

For earwires I'm using 0.8mm copper, and bought 20 gauge silver filled (that's 0.813mm). No one complains Thinner wire would be too easy to deform, and thicker might be difficult to put in some ears.
Here's a pair of fresh earwires img2.etsystatic.com/il_570xN.308583398.jpg (poor quality pic)

Not sure about ball ends, it's two different metals afterall and they must have different melting points. Someone needs to test it But they say you can solder it, work harden, add texture, oxidize.

What I did to it so far was hammering and filing ends. Hammering is nice, sanding ends (rounding) is a bit more complicated than solid metal and takes more careful work to make them really smooth (feels like the core is harder than the silver layer on the outside)

[las]

Thanks laura,
making my own ear wires is on my to do list.
Good to know about the hammering too. I am also going to attempt to make a paddle style head pin.
I also have a bur cup tool now which might help me with the ends to start with.
Thanks aging.

[christine]

Have you had anyone report a problem with copper ear wires? I have been hesitant to use it so use SS for the ear wires on my copper earrings. Maybe I am being overly cautious

[laura]

you mean because of allergies or because of coloring?

I'm using pure copper, not the "copper color" earwires, so I'm pretty safe there I think. My mom who could not wear anything but silver now wears copper too without any problems whatsoever.

[christine]

Laura, I was thinking of both. I always use pure copper too. It is good to hear about your mom. I will give copper ones a try..just was being overly cautious.

[caeterle]

About the copper ... I used to be able to wear everything, but lately I really have a problem with the pure copper earwires. I started exchanging them for silver now as in one ear I couldn't wear any earring for weeks.

A friend of mine can't even wear high carat gold. I guess you are never 100 % safe