I wanted to see what sizes of wire you gents used for your inlays and where you purchase it from. I have been looking at Rio Grande's 1mmx2mm flat Sterling wire but I want to be sure this is what I need before I go any further. Any help would be appreciated. Curtis
I have mine made up by Hoover and Strong (you can google them),. Most have it rolled to .13x.55 . I like mine a little thicker since I have a jewelers rolling mill and can then roll it to whatever thickness the job requires. I do a lot of tapering and blending for organic realism. I myself won't use anything other than Fine silver as the sterling tarnishes over time, and is not so easily spot annealed like Fine silver is. If you ever start using gold wire, I would strongly advise not using anything alloyed less than 18 carat.
Thank you Wes!!!
I haven't done a lot of wire inlay (after all, I'm a writer, not a knifemaker!) but when I've done it I've gotten my wire from Hagstoz in Philadelphia -- in fact I buy nickel silver wire & sheet from them too, they supply metals of all kinds and in the hardness and size desired. They have been around for a long, long time, I want to say that Bill Moran got his inlay wire from them. Last time I ordered .012 x .055 fine silver wire, half hard. (oops -- I originally said dead soft but it was in fact half hard)
T.B. Hagstoz & Co. · 709 Sansom Street · Philadelphia PA 19106 · USA 800-922-1006 [email protected]
Mark
I just ordered some german silver inlay wire from muzzleloaderbuidersupply. Their service was excellent and their prices seemed reasonable. They have it in german silver, brass, and sterling silver in common inlay dimensions.
