Sintered Bracelet with Garnet

[RoycroftRon]

I checked the patent and you are right they used brass that was 5 to 20% zinc. It does not mention sterling, just that silver was used. A bit of false advertising on the part of Otto, but such is business at times.

Regardless I am using fine silver and bronze. It works fine for me.

While we are on heintz though, I find it amazing that they had the fit that they did to fuse the silver on thier vessels. I know their forms were spun and the silver was cut flat. If they were using sterling the metal would be a little springy and thus hard to fit tight without a bit of binding wire. Fine silver would work better to get the fit as it is so soft. Binding wire would probably still have to be used. I guess they could use soft fire brick pads with the binding wire to keep from mating the silver...

[Fred Zweig]

Ron,

It is great to have someone to discuss this with. I have long studied this bonding process and few seem to hold any interest in it. The silver on Heintz work is often marked sterling.

Bronze carries with it's name quality while brass is common. I suspect Otto took liberties with the name.

Documentation of the technique behind the process used by Heintz is still known by Smith Metal Arts Co in Bufallo. I spoke with the gentleman in charge of public relations at SMACo and he said it was all proprietary and he said that all the patina formulas still existed.

I suspect they may have used tight fitting exterior molds to hold the silver on as it was precisely heated under pressure.

Most of the experimentation I have done is on a small scale since I do not have access to larger ovens and machinery..

Fred

[RoycroftRon]

I have a kiln, but it is in storage. With today's technology in forms for bronze casting I am sure something could be rigged up for production pretty easily if the bronze/brass were spun up consistently.

I find it funny that they would say it proprietary... do they even make anything slightly resembling the old Heintz stuff? Might as well keep the info locked up just in case there is a resurgence...