Silver Wire for Inlay

[frogwalking]

OK.  I have my inlay chisels sharpened the way you helpful folks suggested.  Now I am having some difficulty in tapping the wire into the slit.  I have had the wire for a year or more, and think it is german silver purchased from TOW.  The cross section is rectangular.  It seems to me that it would be helpful if one edge was sharp rather than squared off.  Does someone sell wire in this configuration?

I seem to have two left  hands, and all thumbs.  Do not know how I could accomplish the sharpening of one edge.  If I am on the wrong track, someone please point me in the right direction.

Thanks again.

[Mark Elliott]

You have to file or hammer a bevel on one edge.

[Captchee]

 draw a fil across the silver  . twords the edge that will be down in the wood . this gives the silver some teath  and gives a slight edge as  mark has stated .

also as to  the ToW  product being german silver .
 i dont belive it is  as its very soft .
 myself i like german silver more becouse it  does not have a tendance to lay over as easy  as silver alone

[flintriflesmith]

If you are having to tap the wire into the chisel cut it (the cut) either isn't wide enough or deep enough.

The wire goes in easily and the wood is dampened causing it to rebound and trap the wire.

Gary

[frogwalking]

Gary,

I think you hit the nail on the head, so to speak.  I probably have much too fine an edge on my inletting tools, leaving the resulting groove too narrow.  I will resharpen to make a wider groove, and try to put a slight edge on the wire.  Yes, it is very soft and tends to "lay over" when taped into the groove.

[Woodstock]

I get my GS wire from MBS. It is pretty sharp on one side. If you cannot get what you have into the wood by widening the grove or filing you may want to give it a try. It is also fairly stiff and does not fold as bad as some I have used if I have cut the channel correctly.