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<< back to faq A word of warning: There are different alloys of many of these metals, and they are also available in different hardnesses. One supplier's steel is not the same as another's. To be safe, ask the supplier for the exact alloy and for any special care/cleaning requirements. Updated September 2007: The September 2007 Newsletter includes more information on and photographs of Anodized Aluminum, Niobium and Titanium. (Bright) Aluminum Important! Be sure to get bright aluminum, as opposed to regular aluminum, or your hands will be covered with black rub-off in a few minutes! All the aluminum (ALUM) we sell at Blue Buddha Boutique is bright aluminum. Pros: Inexpensive. Smooth and shiny (especially "bright" aluminum). Very easy to work with. Easy to clean if it gets dirty, just wash in soapy water to bring back the shine. It widely accepted that aluminum is very poorly absorbed through the skin, so you do not need to worry about metal toxidity. Cons: Not as durable as other metals. Smaller gauges (20 and 22) won't hold up to a lot of stress. Doesn't have the prestige of other metals (ie, steel or silver). Non-"bright" aluminum leaves a very pronounced black rub-off; wash your loose rings or jewelry several times to minimize this. Some people will notice a grey rub-off with bright aluminum (How much of a rub-off may depend on the acid content of your skin; several people who have reactions to copper also react to aluminum). Over time, aluminum will corrode slightly, losing a bit of shininess. It stops this process once its surface layer (very thin) has corroded. Pros/Cons: You either love or hate the weight. (I've found men usually want something much more weighty.) Alloy: 5356 Temper: Full Hard Composition: Aluminum: 92.9 - 95.3%; Magnesium 4.5 - 5.5%; trace amounts of Chromium, Copper, iron, Silicon, Tin, Zinc Manganese Anodized Rings—Aluminum, Niobium and Titanium The anodized information supplements the general information about each metal in its raw form, so be sure to read those sections for a complete picture. Anodized Aluminum: Aluminum is colored by first anodizing the rings (dipping them in an electrically charged solution) to prepare the surface. They are then dyed. Rings in the same batch may vary drastically in color, or they may be extremely uniform. Pros: The least expensive of the anodized metals. The only pure metal ring that comes in black. Cons: The colors in aluminum will not last as long as titanium rings. The color can be scratched by harder metals, so be careful when weaving and storing your piece. Oils from your skin may change the colors. Some of the color can be restored by washing the piece in soap and water. Some anodized aluminum rings are weak, so be extra gentle. If the dye was not absorbed well, then it may begin to flake off at a stress point (generally the part of the ring directly opposite the opening) when you're working with it. Black is especially susceptible to this. Alloy: 5154 Composition: Aluminum: 96.6 - 98.5%; Magnesium 1.5 - 2.1%; trace amounts of Chromium, Copper, iron, Manganese, Silicon, Titanium, Zinc Anodized Niobium: Niobium is colored by anodizing the rings (dipping them in an electrically charged solution). The colors obtained depend on the voltage. Colors are usually consistent within a batch (except for some of the borderline colors, such as a pink-yellow shade and a purple-blue shade), but may vary greatly from batch to batch. Pros: Beautiful, vibrant colors with nice sparkle. Cons: Expensive. Generally only available in thinner gauges (20 and 22). Oils from your skin may change the colors. Easily scratched, so be careful when weaving. Anodized Titanium: Like niobium, titanium is colored by anodizing the rings (dipping them in an electrically charged solution). The colors obtained depend on the voltage. Colors usually vary within a batch, and may vary greatly from batch to batch. Pros: Very strong rings that hold their color extremely well over time, the best of all the anodized metals. Cons: Expensive. Many of the colors are subtle, not as deep or vibrant as niobium and aluminum colors. Alloy: TI-AL6-V4 A Final Word: Only clean anodized colors with soap and water. Never use polishing clothes or cremes because they may remove the color from the rings. Argentium Silver Pros: Unlike regular sterling, this silver will not tarnish. All the prestige of silver, with none of the hassle of polishing. Argentinium is an alloy of silver that includes the element germanium. If you solder your pieces, note that Argentium does not develop firescale. Cons: Expensive! This is a new material (on the market as of 2005) and so not much information is available, especially regarding long-term use. Brass Pros: Durable. Nice weight. Cons: Some brass is very soft and unsuitable for chainmaille. Alloys that are 1/2 hard are best, but these may be harder to bend in 18g and thicker for some people. Because it is an alloy of copper and zinc, brass patinas very fast. (To clean, use any commercial jewelry cleaner that says it is safe for brass.) Pros/Cons: People seem to either love or hate the patina that Brass develops with age. Alloy: C226 Temper: 1/2 Hard Composition: Copper: 87%; Zinc: 13% Bronze Pros: Durable. Nice weight. If you want the look of aged copper, but a stronger metal, use Bronze, which is an alloy of copper and tin. Cons: Once again, because this metal contains copper, it develops a patina fast. (To clean, use any commercial jewelry cleaner that says it is safe for brass or copper.) Alloy: C150 Temper: 1/2 Hard Composition: Copper: 92+%; Tin: approx 5% Phosphorus: 0.03 - 0.35% trace amounts of lead, Iron, Zinc Copper Pros: Nice weight. Very easy to work with. Cons: Tarnishes fast. (To clean, soak in pure lemon juice & salt for a few seconds. Store jewelry in Ziploc® bags to slow down tarnishing. Squeeze out as much of the air as possible from the bag before closing.) It is a weak metal, so you must be extra-gentle with copper chainmaille pieces, especially those with 20- or 22-gauge rings. Pros/Cons: Like aluminum, most people either love copper or hate it. Some people don't mind the tarnishing, and if fact, many love the range of hues copper displays as it goes through the tarnishing process. Alloy: C110 Temper: 1/2 Hard Composition: Copper: 99.9% Gold-Fill Pros: A prestigious metal. Gold-fill means a layer of gold surrounding a base metal core. Gold-fill is generally given in fractional numbers (i.e., 12/20 or 14/20). The first number refers to how many karats the gold has out of a possible 24 total karats. The second number, 20, means that the gold layer is 20% the total thickness of the wire. Gold-fill is much better than gold-plating. The layer of gold in a gold-fill jump ring is about 100 times thicker than the gold in a plated layer, and it will not flake off as it does in plated jewelry. Cons: Expensive! Note:Although gold is considered semi-hypo-allergenic, some people have allergic reactions to gold (generally less than 18k). These highly sensitive people do better with higher carat gold, niobium or titanium. Niobium Pros: Hypoallergenic (though a select few still react to this metal, and are better off with titanium). It will not tarnish. In its natural state, niobium has a subtle grey sparkle; anodized rings come in a brilliant palatte of colors. Cons: Expensive. Not as strong as titanium. Generally only available in thin gauges. Stainless Steel Pros: Super durable. Nice weight. Does not tarnish. Cons: Can be very difficult to bend in gauges 18 and thicker. You'll need heavy-duty pliers. Saw-cut steel is expensive (it ain't easy cutting through steel with a saw!). This is NOT an appropriate metal for beginners, especially 18 and 16 gauge! Alloy: 304 Composition: Iron: approximately 69% Cronium: 19%; Nickel: 9.25%; Magnesium approximately 2%; Silicon: 1%; Carbon 0.08%; Phosphorous 0.045%; Sulfur: 0.03% Sterling Silver Sterling Silver differs from Fine Silver. Sterling is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. This mixture strengthens the silver, making it suitable for maille. Fine Silver is 99% silver. Though a purer alloy, fine silver is softer and generally not recommended for chainmaille. Pros: Smooth and shiny. Easy to work with. Nice weight. And of course, just the word "silver" has prestige. Cons: Pricey. Thinner gauges can be weak. Always make sure your jump rings are made from at least half-hard wire, never dead soft. Tarnishes easily. (To help prevent tarnish, store each piece of jewelry in its own sealed plastic bag, along with an anti-tarnish tab. To clean tarnish, soak in soapy water (use dishwashing soap) and then lather the jewelry with suds. Rub briskly and rinse well.) Temper: 1/2 hard Note:Although sterling is considered semi-hypo-allergenic, some people have allergic reactions to sterling, probably because of the copper content. These highly sensitive people do better with fine silver, a high carat gold, niobium, titanium, or possibly argentium silver. Titanium Pros: Strong yet lightweight. Can be anodized. Hypoallergenic. Cons: Pricey. Titanium work hardens very easily, so take care not to bend your rings too far or too much, or they will break. |
