Tell me about your favorite reds

[Vicki B.]

I would sure like to find a lovely transparent red -- preferably in the 104 range - at least in soft glass. Can some of you chime in with your experience in this regard? Can I get better transparency if I place over clear and then encase or am I begging for cracking if I don't use it straight. I think I probably own most of the reds out there , but they seem to go dark, semi-opaque, and sometimes brownish on me - could I be heating too much or using too much of the hothead reduction?

I think there may have been prior threads on this, but I can't seem to locate them.

Thanks in advance.

[stefanie]

My favorite red is Lauscha transparent & Lauscha opaque. The last batch I got both were different from years back (not as pretty, a bit darker). The trans I use in small amounts and encase in clear. The opaque gets a bit streaky if I work it too long other than that I love the shade.

Stef

[Vicki B.]

Thanks Stef

I think I have some Lauscha red as well. Does it have to be annealed at a different temp than 960?

[Lisi]

I don't like any of them since I changed to the Bobcat back in 2004. The only decent reds I got were on the HH. I make bead sets, so even with the Lauscha transparents, the colors and transparency is not consistent from bead to bead. So, I would have wasted time and made a set of about 12-13 orphans. I gave up. lol

[Elizabeth Beads]

CiM Sangre. Also Uroboros has a lovely pastel/opaque true red.

[Vicki B.]

Thanks for the input. Elizabeth, have you ever encased the sangre with effetre - or rather put a layer of the sangre between two clear effetre or vetro layers? I was thinking it would increase the transparency, but maybe it would water it down too much. Guess I probably need to waste some glass - just hate those compatibility issues.

[Shrimp]

Vetrofond transparent reds are my favorite. They are a bit on the deep red side. Vetrofond transparent orange looks like a light shade of red. Love it. Lauscha puts out gorgeous transparent reds as well. Devardi transparent cranberry is another lovely red. All colors that I have mentioned, are striking glass.

[Elizabeth Beads]

I have encased Sangre with Effetre and had no problems.

Another red that I like is Vetrofond Rainbow Red.

[Kym]

There is a transp. red in the Devardi range which I found to be a pretty red and reliable.

[5betsy]

Reichenbach Transparent Strawberry. It's easy striking. I love it.

Oh, and coe 96.

[Vicki B.]

Well I've got the kiln heating up and going to try sangre, Lauscha, red striker (effetre or vetro - not sure which) and a 104 garnet - not sure of the manufacturer with the appropriate clears (I hope) - a session of testing. That garnet is just gorgeous against the light, but, as I recall, not the same in the bead.....I don't have the strawberry, but maybe next time I order from OCR. Thanks again.

[saraconklin]

I know you want transparent but i just got and played with "Red Flint Cool" from Effetre and it was a very dark dense rich -- almost brown - red, no candy apple here.

[Vicki B.]

Just checked to see the paddle Frantz has of the red flint cool - looks like it's an interesting color - though not the transparent it's true - love to see pics!

[Vicki B.]

If anyone is interested these are my results: The first four on the left (darkest) are Reichenbach 104 Garnet, next three (purple dots) are Effetre or Vetro red striker (could probably figure out which if you pm me), next 3 (green dots) are Lauscha trans red, final 3 are CIM Sangre. They all pretty much turn opaque - or mostly so. The best transparency I got was with the striker and may relate to the amount of clear used. The beads with clear dots and gold stone are the rod used by itself for the base while the others have some combination of clear and the red (crc, cr, rc etc)

The marvelous murrini are Lori and Kim's Indian Paintbrush from about a year ago and one of my favorites!

[PaulaD]

Lauscha made a transparent red in 2010 that is to die for. It doesn't opalize like most of their reds do. I bought all of the run except for the fat rods.

[Vicki B.]

Looks like your site is in transition and I guess this red is gone, right Paula?

[sangell]

So the answer is easy Elvis, I know they do some soft glass give Jenny at TAG a call and ask if there soft glass has a similar Elvis Red.

[tammydownunder]

I'm a big fan of Vetrofond's Candy Apple Red

[Vicki B.]

The reds I tested turned out fine colors of red - just don't have much - if any- transparency - like say grass green or the blues or even striker or clockwork orange. Might be that the hothead atmosphere is part of the issue though I "spose. I LOVE the dark color of the garnet in the rod but not as pretty in the beads. ah well - so I have some red rounds to combine with other things....I never purchased the red based silver glass that DH once had available, but I was just looking for a straight up transparent red not a reducer.

[PaulaD]

Originally Posted by Vicki B.

Looks like your site is in transition and I guess this red is gone, right Paula?

Just got the last few hundred lbs in but it is still in the box and I am at Bead Fest!

Paula

[DesertDreamer]

My favorite red is CIM Bordello. It's rich and dark when used full-on, but thins out over clear or white to a lovely ruby red. It doesn't streak and it makes beautiful rich stringers (also easy to lighten if you make a clear cored-pull).

[Vicki B.]

Bordello eh? I think that's one I don't have - next order perhaps. Thanks!

[Troll Lover]

Vicki, I prefer the simple Effetre striking red. Are you looking for a red transparant looking bead? Then I would say, make a core of clear and just 1 layer of red, to get the lightest effects. I prefer it on white, makes the red really pop .

[Vicki B.]

Actually of the reds I experimented with, the E (might be Vetro) striker did come out the best - using it ontop of, and encased with clear. In the larger beads sort of a pretty strawberry - smaller beads more vivid. I'll have to try it over white next. Thanks

[Troll Lover]

Your welcome, good luck!

[nevadaglass]

My favorite is Lauscha Radiant red

[Vicki B.]

I don't know which Lauscha I used. It is a beautiful color for sure, but not very transparent in the bead.

[Vicki B.]

Here are the E striker hearts I made yesterday - color nice, shapes need work, Lori & Kim's Indian Paintbrush murrini again (an older assortment of theirs - love it!)