Is Silver Clay Worth It?
What is Silver Clay?
Silver clay, also known as precious metal clay or PMC, is a modeling material made of fine silver particles mixed with an organic binder and water. According to the Jewellers Academy, “Silver metal clay is a manufactured material made using recycled silver particles, an organic plant-based binder to bind the particles together and water to act as a lubricant when conditioning the clay prior to use.”
When silver clay is shaped and allowed to dry, the water evaporates and the binder holds the silver particles together to form a moldable silver material. The clay can be worked just like any clay, shaped into jewelry designs or small sculptures. Once the piece is formed, it is fired in a kiln or torch to burn off the binder, sintering the silver particles into a solid 99.9% pure silver piece.
Silver clay allows jewelry makers to handcraft pure silver jewelry without many of the traditional silversmithing skills and tools. It provides an easy and accessible way to create detailed and unique silver jewelry designs.
References:
[1] https://www.jewellersacademy.com/blog/2023/silver-metal-clay-101-answers-to-some-frequently-asked-questions
Pros of Using Silver Clay
One of the biggest advantages of silver clay is that it is very easy to work with and mold into different shapes. The clay maintains its form as it air dries and can then be fired with a simple kitchen torch to permanently set it into solid sterling silver. This avoids the need for many specialized tools or equipment that are required for traditional silver jewelry making (https://www.jewellersacademy.com/blog/2023/silver-metal-clay-101-answers-to-some-frequently-asked-questions).
The clay consistency allows intricate details and textures to be sculpted that would be difficult to achieve through other silver fabrication methods. Pieces made from silver clay can also be polished, oxidized, patinated, and finished in a variety of ways after firing to create diverse jewelry designs and effects.
Overall, the moldability and accessible firing process makes silver clay an extremely beginner-friendly material for making homemade sterling silver jewelry (https://eclecticelectricjewelry.wordpress.com/2013/08/20/pros-and-cons-of-precious-metal-clay/). There is a much lower barrier to getting started with silver clay compared to traditional metalsmithing.
Cons of Using Silver Clay
While silver clay offers many benefits, there are some downsides to consider before deciding if it’s the right material for your jewelry making needs:
Silver clay is more expensive than base metals like copper or brass. The silver content drives up the price, so silver clay can cost anywhere from $25-$50 for a small package. This is quite pricy compared to a simple bar of copper or brass.
Firing the clay requires high temperatures which can lead to imperfections like cracking or pitting in the final piece. Traditional metal workers have more control over hammering and annealing each piece by hand. With silver clay, the firing process is automated so flaws are more likely.
Silver clay has a limited working time once opened and exposed to air. The packages often specify a timeframe of 6-24 hours to sculpt the clay before it dries out. This can feel restrictive compared to unlimited working time with sheet metal.
According to this blog post, these potential drawbacks are important to weigh, especially for beginners new to silver clay.
What Can You Make With Silver Clay?
Silver clay is very versatile and can be used to create a wide variety of jewelry pieces, sculptures, and decorative objects. Some of the most popular uses for silver clay include:
- Jewelry like pendants, charms, beads
- Small sculptures
- Decorative objects like boxes, dishes, figurines
Silver clay is an excellent medium for making jewelry pieces like pendants, charms, and beads. Its malleable texture makes it easy to hand-form detailed shapes. After firing, the end result is .999 fine silver that takes on a brilliant polished shine. Many jewelry artists prefer using silver clay over traditional fabrication methods because it streamlines the entire jewelry making process.
Silver clay can also be sculpted into small decorative objects and figurines. It has a smooth consistency that lends well to sculpting intricate details and textures. The clay retains fine detail and becomes solid silver once fired, making it suitable for creating miniature sculptures, dishes, boxes, and more. Finished silver clay objects have a coveted metal sheen.
Overall, silver clay’s adaptability and ease of use opens up limitless possibilities for jewelry making and sculpting. From pendants to beads to figurines, silver clay can be shaped into virtually any design. This versatility makes it a popular choice among jewelry makers, metal artists, and crafters.
Sources:
https://www.cooksongold.com/blog/learn/how-to-use-silver-clay/
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/louisehumar/silver-clay-easy-inspiration/
Cost Breakdown
When looking at the costs of working with silver clay, it’s important to consider both the price per ounce of the clay itself as well as the additional equipment needed. According to Amazon.com, silver clay can range from $20-$65 per 1.1 ounce package depending on the brand. Other necessary equipment like a kiln, work surface, roller, cutters, etc can add up to $300 or more upfront.
The average price per finished piece can vary greatly depending on the size and design complexity. Smaller, simple pairs of earrings may only use 2-5 grams of clay, costing $2-$5 in materials. More intricate bracelets or pendants may use 10-30 grams of clay at $10-$30. When factoring in the labor involved, most finished silver clay jewelry pieces range from $25-$100 on average.
Comparing to Traditional Silver Jewelry Making
One of the biggest differences between working with silver clay vs traditional silver fabrication is the tools, skills, and costs involved.
With traditional silver jewelry making, you need a variety of specialized tools to saw, file, solder, and polish the silver into the desired shapes. These tools can include jeweler’s saws, files, soldering torches, polishing wheels, etc. Acquiring all these tools requires a significant upfront investment. You also need the skillset and experience to properly use the tools to cut, join, and finish the silver components. It can take years of practice to gain proficiency in traditional fabrication techniques.
In contrast, silver clay only requires some basic inexpensive tools like a work surface, roller, cutters, and burnisher. The clay can be shaped, textured, and joined manually with your hands. The skills have a much gentler learning curve compared to traditional fabrication. After drying, the finished clay piece can simply be fired in a kiln to burn off the binders and fuse the silver particles into a solid silver piece. The fired silver has a beautiful finish, so polishing is often minimal.
When it comes to costs, silver clay has a higher material cost per ounce compared to raw silver. However, the ease of use and lack of specialized tools can make smaller projects from silver clay very affordable compared to paying a skilled jeweler to fabricate something from raw silver. For hobbyists or new jewelry makers, silver clay provides an easy entry point to crafting pure silver jewelry.
Sources:
https://discover.hubpages.com/art/Differences-Between-Precious-Metal-Clay-and-Traditional-Metalsmithing
https://www.cooksongold.com/blog/learn/answers-silver-clay/
Best Practices
When working with silver clay, following best practices will help ensure your finished pieces come out looking their best.
Proper storage and conditioning of the clay is crucial. Silver clay dries out quickly when exposed to air, so keep unused clay in an airtight container. To condition dried out clay, knead in a few drops of water until it becomes pliable again. Always use fresh clay if possible, as rehydrated clay can be more difficult to work with.1
Achieving a flawless finish starts with proper smoothing and burnishing of the clay before firing. Use a wet paintbrush during shaping to keep fingers from leaving prints. Once shaped, use a rubber rib, popsicle stick, or specialty burnishing tool to smooth the surface. Burnishing compacts the clay molecules together for a tighter, shinier finish.
After firing, a thorough polishing is necessary to bring out the full shine and luster of the sintered silver. Use fine grit wet/dry sandpaper to remove any surface irregularities, then polish with a sunshine cloth or fiber wheel with polishing compound. Finally, apply a jewelry polish paste or anti-tarnish protector to seal and protect the fired silver.
Common Beginner Mistakes
When starting out with silver clay, there are some common mistakes that beginners often make. Being aware of these can help avoid frustration and create better results.
One mistake is rushing the drying time. According to this source, silver clay works best when freshly opened from the packet. While you can rehydrate dried clay, it’s easiest to work with when not rushed in the drying stage.
Another beginner error is firing too fast. As this guide recommends, fire for at least the minimum time stated. Firing too quickly can lead to imperfections.
Finally, fingerprints and tool marks can detract from a finished piece. Take care to handle silver clay carefully and minimize contact from tools and fingers when shaping to avoid these marks.
Advanced Techniques
Some more advanced techniques for working with silver clay include combining it with other materials and making functional components like hinges, clasps, and findings.
Silver clay can be combined with other clays and materials to create unique effects. For example, you can blend silver and copper clays together to create an alloy clay for color effects (https://www.metalclayacademy.com/metal-clay-information-and-tutorials/advanced-metal-clay-projects-and-information/advanced-metal-clay-projects-tutorials/). Silver clay can also be combined with other clays like polymer clay to marry dissimilar materials.
Silver clay is very versatile and can be used to fabricate functional components for jewelry like hinges, clasps, and findings. Some options include:
- Making hinge and clasp connectors with an imprinted pattern
- Crafting toggle clasps, hook clasps, or S-hooks
- Shaping bead links, jump rings, or chain segments
- Forming pin backs or earring posts and findings
With some creativity and practice, advanced silver clay artists can make almost any finding, fastener, or articulated component required for jewelry projects.
Is Silver Clay Worth It?
Silver clay offers both advantages and disadvantages compared to traditional silver jewelry making methods. Some of the key pros of using silver clay include:
- It’s very accessible for beginners, with no expensive tools or equipment needed
- You can make very intricate and detailed designs not possible with other methods
- There is very little waste since you only use what you need
- The firing process binds the silver particles together into a solid piece of jewelry
Some potential cons to consider include:
- Silver clay is more expensive by volume than sheet/wire silver
- The clay may dry out if not stored properly
- Firing without a kiln can be challenging
- There is a learning curve to achieving quality finished results
Overall, silver clay is an excellent choice for hobbyists or jewelers interested in creating one-of-a-kind, handcrafted jewelry with intricate details. The accessibility and design flexibility of silver clay makes it preferable over fabrication methods for small-scale jewelry makers. However, for production lines or cost-conscious projects, traditional silver sheet and wire working may be more suitable. Silver clay is best suited for custom pieces where the advantages of detail and uniqueness outweigh the higher material costs.
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