Durability of Exposed Silver?

[Sam_W]

I've been working on a new design for the past couple of days and have a question for those who know more about silver foil than I.

Let's say you take a bead and then wrap it in silver foil. Then you burnish it in really well and set to burning it off. If you play your cards right, you can leave little streams of shiny silver amongst the organic pattern created as you burnt the silver off.

My question is, how long will this last on the surface of the bead? I tried scratching it off with no luck, but I'm worried it might rub off in a couple of weeks.

Anyone have any clue how long exposed silver might last on a bead surface?

Thanks!

[rightbrainbeads]

Hi Sam,

It definitely doesn't rub off in two weeks... I've had beads for years with these tiny silver dots on them, and they've never even begun to rub off. The only silver I've had come off were dots put on by melting little blobs of fine silver wire on a bead. Those can pop off if they're not 'well seated', but otherwise, silver left behind from burning off foil stays a long, long time.

By the way, I've been admiring your beads these last few months-- they're awesome!! \\:D/

lynne

[Sam_W]

Thanks so much Lynne, both for the information and the compliment. I'm glad the silver 'sticks', as it were, since I use it so often and have so many surface ornamentation ideas I was afraid I wouldn't be able to use if it rubbed off.

And now, back to the torch!

Sam

[BillBrach]

Any metals fumed (or reduced) onto the surface of a bead are subject to being worn off. Even our body oils will eat at this layer of metal.

But, I'd think that foil, if it is still fairy thick, should last a long time.

[Sam_W]

Thanks for the info, Bill. The foil I'm using seems pretty thick to me (about like tin foil), so I'm hoping it'll stay on the bead for quite some time. My main concern was with the silver flaking or chipping off - if it wears off over a long period of time due to natural wear and tear and exposure to skin, I think that's acceptable.

Thanks again!