Author Topic: Coin silver inlays question (Read 5286 times)

Shreckmeister · « **on:** October 27, 2017, 02:32:22 PM »

What gauge of sheet silver is appropriate for silver accent in lays like on Huntington and Bedford rifles? Rigid enough not to bend out, but not too thick. I had a friend with a coin roller but he passed away and now I'm going to have to buy the stuff. Thanks

Shreckmeister · « **Reply #1 on:** October 27, 2017, 02:43:50 PM »

Is 20 gauge appropriate?

smart dog · « **Reply #2 on:** October 27, 2017, 04:13:57 PM »

Hi,
I would use a little thicker sheet 16-18 gauge. That gives you more excess to shape to a curved surface and helps prevent dimpling that can occur when you press the inlay into the wood.

dave

deepcreekdale · « **Reply #3 on:** October 27, 2017, 04:51:32 PM »

I use 18 gauge sterling silver which is .040 inch for inlays. Thick enough not to dimple like Dave says but thin enough to easily bend to different shapes. I use 16 gauge, which is .051 inch for thumb pieces etc that I model and chisel. I attach all inlays with sterling silver nails I file to a taper shape from wire in the drill press with a file. I get my silver from Rio Grande. I am not an expert on Bedford rifles but didn't they use nickel silver, or as call it today German silver?

louieparker · « **Reply #4 on:** October 27, 2017, 05:59:18 PM »

There may be Bedford rifle with German silver inlay ? But the ones I recall all had silver.
William Border used a two inch long inlay on his fore stocks. They were held in place with up to nine very small nails.. I have never seen one of these out of the rifle but I doubt if they were .016 thick. I have other original inlays that I have measured. These particular inlays run from .010 to .017 . Silver was money. LP

JTR · « **Reply #5 on:** October 27, 2017, 06:58:05 PM »

I'll second Louie, 10 to 15 thousands.
John

deepcreekdale · « **Reply #6 on:** October 27, 2017, 07:16:23 PM »

Wow, that is thin. Almost like tissue. That is not much thicker than what I use to make silver wire for inletting. Did they inlay it or apply it right on the stock without an inlet? Silver has pretty much kept the same value over time, and today, 18 gauge silver, is not too expensive, about $5.00 a square inch last time I bought it but a lot of inlays sure would run up the price. I always imagined silver would only be used for more well heeled customers. Thanks for the feedback.

louieparker · « **Reply #7 on:** October 27, 2017, 08:43:37 PM »

They were inlet . But I have removed old inlays where the wood underneath was bare, but little more than finish around the edges. Very shallow inlet. I have used .016 on small inlays and for overlay work. I normally use .025 or .032. for other things. I can't think of any inlay on a rifle that needs to be thicker.
I don't understand the dimpling. How are you getting that ?

Even the brass on some old ramrod pipes is surprisingly thin......LP

smart dog · « **Reply #8 on:** October 27, 2017, 10:07:05 PM »

Hi,
Dimpling can happen with really thin metal inlays if the bottom of the inlay is not even supporting the metal across its length and if you attach the inlays with small nails and the metal is dimpled when peening the head of the nail. I am sure you can get by with very thin metal but I don't risk it. I don't doubt that some originals had very thin metal inlays, and on some it really shows particularly around the nail heads. To each his own.

dave

Jim Kibler · « **Reply #9 on:** October 28, 2017, 12:02:48 AM »

If the silver is very thin, work hardening can help a lot.

Jim

louieparker · « **Reply #10 on:** October 28, 2017, 01:10:37 AM »

Jim mentioned work hardening. I have seen some of these inlays that had hammer marks on the back side. LP

JCKelly · « **Reply #11 on:** October 28, 2017, 02:13:12 AM »

Hammer marks?

Yes, amazingly enough, you can hammer your pre-1965 quarter into whatever thickness you want.

Grieve not about that absent rolling mo-chine

Silver is absolutely wonderful stuff under the hammer. Not like brass.

Gun_Nut_73 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 28, 2017, 05:33:27 AM »

May I say: "It depends on the thickness of the coin"? grin

I have tried using cull silver coins as inlays, and they seem to work well, if I do my part (which I sometimes don't).

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #13 on:** October 28, 2017, 04:03:29 PM »

I have used old silver coins for years for inlay material. Hammer them out to what ever thickness seems appropriate. Of course you can only go so big for inlays off of coins. Hammered coin silver engraves extremely well. I have used coins for thumb pieces for ever.

Elnathan · « **Reply #14 on:** October 28, 2017, 04:45:21 PM »

I have a couple old Morgan half-dollars I bought specifically to make inlays out of, though on what I don't know yet...I picked out the most worn examples the seller had, just because I figured that there was a shame to flatten out a nice example.

An early iron-mounted "black rifle" with blued furniture and silver accents sounds like a fun fantasy build.

moleeyes36 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 29, 2017, 12:13:26 AM »

What is the usual percent of silver in "coin silver". I assume it varies, but if I were to buy some silver for inlays from Rio Grande what would I buy to approximate "coin silver"? Thanks.

Mole Eyes

Howard · « **Reply #16 on:** October 29, 2017, 12:26:20 AM »

Coin silver is 90%.

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #17 on:** October 29, 2017, 04:44:03 PM »

Silver dollars have a slightly higher percentage than the other old coins. Cain't remember the exact % though, I usually have bigger fish to fry....

moleeyes36 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 30, 2017, 02:39:02 PM »

Howard and Mike, thanks for the information.

Mole Eyes

deepcreekdale · « **Reply #19 on:** October 30, 2017, 03:31:45 PM »

Silver content in coins is variable depending on the denomination. I think Silver nickels are only 35% silver. Silver dollars are 90% as Howard pointed out. I prefer to buy dead soft pure silver because they do not charge any more than the silver value, with coins, there is usually some markup. Plus it is already flat and smooth and works much easier. Also, they buy the left over scraps back if you want. But, silver coins are probably more authentic for most early guns although makers like the Voglers who were silversmiths as well as gunsmiths probably would have used a better grade of silver.

Dewster257 · « **Reply #20 on:** October 30, 2017, 08:59:12 PM »

When I was overseas in 1969, my wife worked in a bank and kept all the silver coins that came thru her window. I have more than 10 lbs of them in a bag. No nickels tho they were nickel I guess.They are easy to hammer out and make good, historically correct inlays. I don’t think I will ever run out!

Shreckmeister · « **Reply #21 on:** October 30, 2017, 09:25:19 PM »

Lots of good input on this post. I'm going to try and hammer out a worn out silver quarter and see if I can accomplish my goal without splitting the coin. Should I use heat?
The inlay I am referring to is the one behind the lock mortise on the wrist like many from Bedford Somerset Huntington. I've seen a few loose ones on rifles and they are
pretty thin.

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #22 on:** October 31, 2017, 12:19:40 AM »

I have never used heat when pounding out coins.

PPatch · « **Reply #23 on:** October 31, 2017, 12:56:18 AM »

Quote from: Shreckmeister on October 30, 2017, 09:25:19 PM

Lots of good input on this post. I'm going to try and hammer out a worn out silver quarter and see if I can accomplish my goal without splitting the coin. Should I use heat?
The inlay I am referring to is the one behind the lock mortise on the wrist like many from Bedford Somerset Huntington. I've seen a few loose ones on rifles and they are
pretty thin.

"...pretty thin."

Yep, I examined a SMR at a gun show a year ago and one of the silver inlays was loose with a bit of it folded back on itself. The inlay was wafer thin, to the point I couldn't imagine working with it without wrecking it.

dave

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Author Topic: Coin silver inlays question (Read 5286 times)

Dewster257