New Hobby? Health & Safety

The process of turning clay into silver

1. Components

Silver clay is typically composed of three main ingredients: 

• Microscopic silver particles: These are often recycled from the electronics and photography industries.
• An organic binder: This is usually plant-based and acts as the material that holds the tiny metal particles together, allowing them to be worked and sculpted.
• Water: This gives the clay its pliable, "clay-like" consistency. 

2. Shaping and drying

The clay can be molded by hand or with tools, just like traditional clay. After the desired shape is achieved, the piece must be allowed to dry completely. During this time, the water evaporates. 

3. Firing and sintering

The dried piece is then heated to a high temperature using a jewelry kiln, a gas stove, or a handheld butane torch. 

• Burning the binder: As the heat is applied, the organic binder burns off completely, often producing a small flame and some smoke.
• Sintering the metal: Once the binder is gone, the microscopic silver particles fuse together in a process called "sintering." The piece will begin to glow with a peachy-orange color, which must be maintained for a few minutes to ensure the particles bind into a solid metal object. 

4. The finished result

After firing and cooling, what remains is a solid piece of fine silver, typically 99.9% pure. 

• Pure silver: Since the binder is completely burned away, the final product is a piece of solid silver that can be legally hallmarked as "fine silver" (.999).
• Shrinkage: Because the water and binder make up a portion of the original clay's volume, the finished silver piece will be smaller than the unfired clay.
• Finishing: The fired piece will have a white, frosty appearance. It is then polished and burnished to achieve a smooth, shiny finish, indistinguishable from silver made using traditional methods.