Some More Silver

[tallbear]

Some pics of some my recently completed silver work.

Mitch Yates

Gorget based on an original made by Robert Cruckshank piece that was dug in Allen Co. Ohio.It has a wire rolled into the edge for strength as in the original.



A silver snuff box based on an original in the Winterthur Museum collection.

[Tim Crosby]

Wow! Mitch, they are Great, Very nicely done.

  Tim C.

[smylee grouch]

Yes I agree too. Very nice. How do you hold those pieces for engraving without doing any damage to them?

[tallbear]

Grouch

Everything gets stuck to a pitch block for engraving before it's shaped or soldered together.A pitch block is just a piece of scrap wood with hard German or Japanese pitch smeared on it so I can hold it in my engraving ball or vice.Heat it up ,stick the metal to it ,engrave and then throw it in the freezer and the metal can be easily popped off.I have a whole drawer full of different size and shaped blocks.

Mitch Yates

[Tim Crosby]

 That sounds a whole lot better than one time body filler. That I have used to hold BPs for filing before fitting.

 Thanks, Tim

[James Rogers]

Super duper work Mitch. I use a pitch pot with a vise attachment also, just not the talent to take it out of the pitch and have it look that superb.

[tallbear]

Just some random thought about holding the work.

Use black or hard pitch rather than red pitch.The red is too soft.

If your pitch pot or pitch is too deep the work sinks(not good) and on thin silver it makes it easy to cut through with your graver.Using a wood block with a thin layer of pitch supports the work better on flat work.

I use bondo on a wood blocks for odd shaped pieces like patch boxes,buttplates and the like.

Mitch yates

[smylee grouch]

Thanks for that tip Mitch. I already have several different shaped blocks of wood that I use but no pitch. Where do you get your pitch?

[tallbear]

Grouch

I've gotten pitch a couple of places;

https://www.riogrande.com/Search/pitch

http://www.metalsmithing-tools.com/#!chasing-and-repousse-tools/c1jn5

[Robby]

Nice work Mitch, I really like both of them!!!!
Robby

[The Original Griz]

Mitch, all it can say is WOW. Those are fantastic. That's some fine talent.

[Jerry]

On the subject of pitch, shellac flakes works great. Minimal heat to hold, but holding power for most chasing work.

[Big Wolf]

Beautiful work!