Sterling versis coin silver

[DFHicks]

This has nothing to do with the types of silver, just a side bar comment. Most everyone has heard of Hacker Martin.  He made his inlays (late in his life, perhaps before) from Mexican silver coins.  It was illegal to deface US coins at the time (late 60's).  He ordered these through the mail and had them delivered by the USPS rural route carrier.  This sounds cynical but I wouldn't try that today. _ DF

[LRB]

  ROBBY, I had the same experience with Sterling about five years ago. I contacted the firm I bought the silver from and was told when annealing to heat to dull red and do not quench until all the red was gone. Followed what I was told and it worked fine.

[Chuck Burrows]

This has nothing to do with the types of silver, just a side bar comment. Most everyone has heard of Hacker Martin.  He made his inlays (late in his life, perhaps before) from Mexican silver coins.  It was illegal to deface US coins at the time (late 60's).  He ordered these through the mail and had them delivered by the USPS rural route carrier.  This sounds cynical but I wouldn't try that today. _ DF

I buy and use Mexican coins all the time for conchos and such (it's what most old Navajo Silver work was done with) so I don't see any reason not to use them? - I buy from dealers either on line or have a friend in Tucson who gets them at the local shops......

[Robby]

Wick, I've been buying from the same guy for some years now. I sometimes heated beet red and quenched, sometimes let air cool, sometimes dull red and either air cool or quench. About every combination you can use to anneal and I've probably done it. I've have never experienced this, not even close. First round was to a dull red and air dry, after which I did notice it was kind of a mottled light and dark grey, never saw that before and it was enough for me to take note of. It wouldn't bend at all so I heated to a good orange and quenched. it was hard as rock and had a good sized crack.
Like Dave suggested, My first thought was that it somehow had gotten a contaminant.
Robby