Working with Silver
Saw blades and Filing...
A saw is probably going to be one of the first tools you use with your silver and the size of blade you need will be dictated by the gauge of metal you have. The information below and tables to the right is a good guide to help you select the correct saw blade.
12 What do I use?
Files are used to shape, smooth rough edges and remove surface scratches from your metal.
A coarse file will remove material quickly and is more effective for shaping where as medium grade and smoother files are used to refine surfaces and remove scratches.
As a general guide, files are graded from 00-4 with 00 being the coarsest and 4 the finest. Start with a coarse file, moving gradually towards a smoother one once the desired finish is achieved.
Files come in a range of sizes and profiles and include round, half round, square, flat and triangular as well as many others. Needle files have the widest range of profiles and are smaller in size ranging from 10-20cm. Needle files can be used on small scale work and to access detailed areas on larger pieces and many brands offer an assorted selection pack which is a good place to start as a beginner.
Full size files measure between 6” – 8” and are sold minus the wooden handle which will need to be purchased separately, and attached. A coarse, flat file and a medium cut half round are suitable for most general purpose tasks and will provide a good basis for more additions as the need arises.
Emery paper and wet and dry papers are sheets of abrasive paper which are used after filing as the final stage of surface preparation before polishing. They are graded from coarse to smooth and should be used in sequence to obtain the best result. Emery paper is used dry but wet and dry paper can be used with water to speed up the results.
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