How many of you guys have tried this and can you tell the difference from regular sterling silver? Do you think it is worth the extra expence?

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I'm only as good as you think I am.

never heard of it.
Jim

I have not used it because i blacken some of my work with "silver black"
which, to my understanding tarnishes the siver and I suppose it would not affect the new stuff. Plus, plain sterling is expensive enough!

I've used close to 100 ozs. of it over about 3 years at customers requests... wasn't easy to change a lot of my methods.

Tends to slump at what used to be considered "normal" brazing temps. Can tear or fracture at high temps. Can be problematic to cast. Needs to be heat treated to harden and make the germanium tarnish barrier become really effective.

Neither it - nor any of the competing alloys is really "tarnish proof". They are more resistant to tarnish than regular sterling. The Western style has always incorporated the aged look you got with regular 925...

For personal use I still prefer the look of the old stuff. Also works easier and cheaper. Mebee jest set in my ways after using it for 37 years?

Customers ask for it. We try to talk them out of it. If we can't, we give it to them - at a premium. Customer is always right...

I agree with Brian .
This metal is in my opinion completely diffrent
than Stg.I only use it when requested.
Joe Cera

I engrave quite a few buckles that are cast out of it. It seems very "chewy" and cast sterling is bad enough without any help from germania LOL. griff

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www.handmadecowboy.com

Well,I guess that I should "Fess up". I purchased several hudred oz of the stuff and ran into a couple of issues .The first thing that happened was that I punched out a ranger style buckle out and was soldering it together and it slipped off the screen and hit the floor.SPLAT and shattered.. When I did get one put togather I was trying to use the reccomended solders and they didn't flow very good .
I don't know about engraving on cast buckles but the arg. sheet materials engrave very nicely.I was able to oxidize it with liver of sulfur.
I was thinking that it was sort of a magic bullet and am a little bit dissapointed with the results. I can't say that I would buy too much more of it after this discussion.

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I'm only as good as you think I am.

Rio Grnde Jewelers Supply has a couple of free info down loads on their website.

http://www.yourriogrande.com/downloads/applications/DocumentLibraryManager/inc_documentlibrarymanager.asp?search=argentium&offset=0

You may have to go to =>

http://www.yourriogrande.com/downloads/

And do a search for argentium - its mostly MSD sheets - but there are two articles.

I have cast and fabricated with it and really did not have any trouble - but I do not engrave (yet). It does lose its structural integrity when hot - very similar to brass that way. Let it cool before bending or poking. It seemed to TIG weld fine. The "experts" are saying that you do not need to use solder when "soldering" jumprings - it is supposed to fuse without solder and if I read right, without flux. I have not tried it yet - but if you want "soldered" silver chains this would really simplify the process. When I get a round tuit I will let you know if I have any luck.

Some are claiming it hardens more than sterling - might work well for money clips.