frit question: iris vs silver

[Vicki B.]

frit question: iris vs silver

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I am trying to learn more about frit and what can be done with frit stringer, reactions etc. I realized today that I really don't understand much about the basis of how the "iris" categories and "silver" categories of frit work, how they differ from one another etc. I'm so naive that for a long time I thought iris meant it should be the color of irises.

So, what, in general, does one try to achieve to get the most out of the reactions these frits are capable of? Am I correct that "iris green," for example is a frit that can be reduced to a lustre, but has a green cast?

My handicap may be that I am still on a HH and so work in a somewhat reducing flame and cannot add oxygen. Or is that a good thing?

Thanks for listening!

[raindance]

This is an old post, but I'd like to know, too. I'm not sure why this got no answers.

[Emily]

They're both reduction frits. The silver glasses reduce to silver, theoretically at least. The iris glasses -- theoretically -- reduce to a variety of metallic colors, kind of like an oil slick iridescent effect. The other color in the name generally refers to the base glass. Iris green is a transparent green glass. When you reduce it, it turns rainbow metallic colors -- in theory, at least.

The reason for all of the "theoretically" qualifiers in there is that reduction frits (reduction glasses) are finicky. If you handle them perfectly, and have your flame adjusted just right, and hold them at the right place in the flame for precisely the right amount of time, and it's the right phase of the moon and the barometric pressure is right and you're holding your mouth right and wearing your lucky Hello Kitty underpants, they will reduce exactly the right way. Otherwise, maybe not. I use some iris shades a fair amount (when I'm on a reduction frit streak) because they reduce to a fairly reliable silvery for me, but I've never really gotten the rainbow tones. I just feel like I can count on them not to give me poop on a regular basis, unlike some colors of reduction frit (that would be pretty much anything with any shade of purple, lavender, or lilac in the name).

Some people can get Iris gold to turn gorgeous, gleaming GOLD. Can't do it myself. I get no reduction, nice silver, or antique bronze. I keep trying, though.

Tobacco brown (Kugler 215) turns a gunmetal blue if you reduce it just right, but it can also be silver (darkish) or antique bronze.

Arrow Springs sells reduction frit in little plastic packets for a buck or so apiece. I recommend buying a bunch and playing with them. They also have reduction glass in stringer (fat stringer, more like thin rod) form if you prefer.

[jeepinwelch]

I just feel like I can count on them not to give me poop on a regular basis, unlike some colors of reduction frit (that would be pretty much anything with any shade of purple, lavender, or lilac in the name).

Now I don't feel so bad! I thought it was just me.

[LAG]

Emily.. what a great way to explain it!! Very understandable.. I hope others read this post.... thanks.

[squid]

Some people can get Iris gold to turn gorgeous, gleaming GOLD. Can't do it myself. I get no reduction, nice silver, or antique bronze. I keep trying, though.



I asked someone how they got the gold and they told me to turn up the propane instead of turning down the oxy and it has worked well for me. You may want to give that a try :)

[mtarara]

OOOO! Thanks Squid, I have been fighting with Iris gold for days, now I can try it your way and see if it works any better!! And thanks for this thread, very good timing as I've been playing with a bunch of the samples from Arrow Springs!
Mary T.

[Karen Hardy]

DAMN! It was the hello kitty underpants. I KNEW there was something I
was doing wrong.

[squid]

hold the bead way out in the end of the flame when you turn up the propane.

[raindance]

Emily and Squid! Thanks soooooooooo much for the great information! =D> It's great to know what I'm looking for with the different types of reduction frit! And the tip on iris gold....that's just awesome!

[squid]

Let us know if it works for you :)

[Kalera]

My observation has been that it's mostly just how different manufacturers name their reduction colors. For example, Gaffer names their reduction blue "Blue Lustre". Kugler names theirs "Silver Blue". Reichenbach names theirs "Iris Blue". They all work fairly similarly, though I find them each to be distinctive enough to be worth having all three.

[pam]

They're both reduction frits. The silver glasses reduce to silver, theoretically at least. The iris glasses -- theoretically -- reduce to a variety of metallic colors, kind of like an oil slick iridescent effect. The other color in the name generally refers to the base glass. Iris green is a transparent green glass. When you reduce it, it turns rainbow metallic colors -- in theory, at least.

The reason for all of the "theoretically" qualifiers in there is that reduction frits (reduction glasses) are finicky. If you handle them perfectly, and have your flame adjusted just right, and hold them at the right place in the flame for precisely the right amount of time, and it's the right phase of the moon and the barometric pressure is right and you're holding your mouth right and wearing your lucky Hello Kitty underpants, they will reduce exactly the right way. Otherwise, maybe not. I use some iris shades a fair amount (when I'm on a reduction frit streak) because they reduce to a fairly reliable silvery for me, but I've never really gotten the rainbow tones. I just feel like I can count on them not to give me poop on a regular basis, unlike some colors of reduction frit (that would be pretty much anything with any shade of purple, lavender, or lilac in the name).

Some people can get Iris gold to turn gorgeous, gleaming GOLD. Can't do it myself. I get no reduction, nice silver, or antique bronze. I keep trying, though.

Tobacco brown (Kugler 215) turns a gunmetal blue if you reduce it just right, but it can also be silver (darkish) or antique bronze.

Arrow Springs sells reduction frit in little plastic packets for a buck or so apiece. I recommend buying a bunch and playing with them. They also have reduction glass in stringer (fat stringer, more like thin rod) form if you prefer.

I have to say this is the BEST explanation for reduction frit I have ever heard and bears repeating! I have the best luck with Iris Gold. I have to say that it also depends on the torch you use. What works with one torch, may not work with another. On my GTT Cheetah just adding a tiny bit of propane to the mixture seems to make the reduction frits pop.

[LAG]

Hi.. I posted a couple of blue beads on Sunday's S&T that I used Iris Gold frit on. If I had wanted LOTS of gleam, I could have gotten it but then the other colors wouldn't come through. I love working with these colors.. I get great beads when you use silver leaf on the base, then heat the bejesus out of it to help annealing the difference in COE's.

Play with the frits.... experiment. Have fun.....

[Emily]

But did you get the gold color out of the Iris gold? I can get it to go metallic, but it's a silvery/chrome, not a gold color.

[squid]

to get gold try upping the propane instead of lowering the oxy.

[raindance]

to get gold try upping the propane instead of lowering the oxy.

Does that mean upping the propane from a neutral flame? Sorry if this is a dumb question.:oops:

[StephBonniwell]

Emily and Squid~

Thanks for the great info!! I will approach using these frits a bit differently now and will strive for a little extra at the redux step. Wonderful posts! Steph

[squid]

Does that mean upping the propane from a neutral flame? Sorry if this is a dumb question.:oops:

Not dumb at all :) yes, increase your propane way past a neutral flame - a dragon's breath flame I have heard it called - and roll the bead around out towards the end of the flame. My flame is usually about 18" or more long - really big - you can see why they call it dragon's breath. I can get gold with it this way. If I reduce the oxy, I get silver or yuck grey.

[Starrr]

I do the same thing as Squid with all of my reduction and silver glass, and Raku. I have 2 concentrators and keep the oxy knob open all the way at all times, I adjust my flame by adding more or less propane, depending on what I'm doing. I have no problem getting any of the glasses to react or reduce.

Give it a try.

[Kevan]

This is silver blue

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o53/konact/silverbluedot2.jpg
This is iris blue

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o53/konact/metalladyside.jpg

I don't know what the hell the difference is. lol The silver blue gets a dull film if you reduce it alot. Which you can erase by turning the oxy back up.

[raindance]

Not dumb at all :) yes, increase your propane way past a neutral flame - a dragon's breath flame I have heard it called - and roll the bead around out towards the end of the flame. My flame is usually about 18" or more long - really big - you can see why they call it dragon's breath. I can get gold with it this way. If I reduce the oxy, I get silver or yuck grey.

Yep! I've had trouble with the yuck grey! This is definitely what I need to do! Thanks for your reply. I thought I had killed another thread! LOL! I will give it a try, Starrr.

Kevan....sigh!...glass loves you, doesn't it?

[G.L.McBead]

Great info.
Thanks,
G.

[kimberly]

The BRAND can make a difference as well. I like Kugler's Iris Gold the best.

[Starrr]

The BRAND can make a difference as well. I like Kugler's Iris Gold the best.


Yep, me too..... and the batch, size of frit, when you had your propane filled, where you had it filled, the guy's hair color who filled your propane, the time of the day, the weather..... lol

[Chuckie]

If you handle them perfectly, and have your flame adjusted just right, and hold them at the right place in the flame for precisely the right amount of time, and it's the right phase of the moon and the barometric pressure is right and you're holding your mouth right and wearing your lucky Hello Kitty underpants, they will reduce exactly the right way.
Now THAT is funny! I always enjoy starting my weekend out with a hot cup of coffee and a good laugh! Thanks Emily!!