How can I soften and harden nickel-silver?

Chris Crawford

Chris Crawford

Joined
Apr 14, 2001
Messages
380
I want to soften a nickel-silver rod, form it into a shape, then harden it. I know that working brass is the oposite of steel, but I'm not sure about nickel-silver. Aynone know how?

Thanks -chris
 
Work it just like brass. To soften it bring it up to dull red and quench in water. Work hardening is the only way I know how to harden it.
 
I have a lot of trouble shaping nickel silver. Don't know if I'm doing something wrong, but it seems to work-harden pretty easily and requires frequent annealing (you should see my scrap pile of broken pieces!).
 
It is hard to work with. You're right about it needing annealing often but so does most brass alloys. Go slow and dont try to push it too far before reheating. I have a big pile too and some of it works better than others. I bought a large antique pot lid that was all nickel silver from a swap meet and it has worked the best for me. I guess all nickel silver is not created equal. ???
 
are you sure it wasn't true silver, that you got at that swap meet?

I've found that it has less tendance to work harden if it's worked hot.:D
 
Chris, what are you making??? I wonder if you rigged a steel rod so that it stayed real hot, if you could work the nickel silver around the rod? Ie... the heat from the rod would keep the nickel silver from work hardening. I've seen stuff done like that on tv but I don't remember what the material was.
 
L6STEEL,

I was trying to make a loop that I could attatch to the end pin of this little knife. I had a small scrap of cable damascus, and I wanted to turn it into a little knife my wife could put on her key chain.

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Thanks -chris
 
Forget about nickle silver in that application and go to Sterling silver in the "soft" condition, forms nicely and is not brittle.
 
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