English firing schedules of 950 Silver clay from Art Clay Silver ACS950_firing_schedules.pdf
Art Clay Silver 950 Professional
Art Clay Silver 950 Professional is a strong silver clay developed by Art Clay Silver. Before firing, the clay consists of fine silver powder, copper, water, and an organic binder. After firing, the material contains 95% silver and can be hallmarked as sterling silver (.925).
This variant was developed for jewelry that requires extra strength. After firing, Art Clay Silver 950 Professional is significantly stronger than regular fine silver clay and more resistant to bending, deformation, and everyday wear.
This makes the clay especially suitable for:
rings
open designs
narrow components
cufflinks
thin or delicate jewelry
Working with Art Clay Silver 950
The clay is worked in almost the same way as regular silver clay. You can use the same tools and techniques for rolling, shaping, texturing, and modeling.
Art Clay Silver 950 Professional usually feels slightly stickier than the regular 650 series. A small amount of olive oil or silicone spray on your hands and tools can help during shaping.
If the clay becomes slightly dry while working, add a drop of distilled water and gently knead the clay through plastic foil.
Because the clay dries in contact with air, it is important to keep unused clay tightly sealed while working.
Drying and refining
After drying, the clay feels firmer and somewhat leather-like. In this stage, the piece can easily be filed, sanded, carved, or engraved.
Parts can be joined together or repaired using paste made from the same clay.
The drying time is slightly longer compared to regular silver clay. Always make sure the piece is completely dry before firing.
The average shrinkage of Art Clay Silver 950 Professional is approximately 11–13%. Keep this especially in mind when making rings.
Firing Art Clay Silver 950
Art Clay Silver 950 Professional can be fired directly on a kiln shelf in a special kiln and does not require activated carbon.
For additional support, fiber blanket, fiber paper, or granules can be used for fragile designs.
Standard firing method
For thicker pieces, larger kilns, and pieces thicker than approximately 10 mm.
heat to 500°C
hold for 30 minutes
then increase to 870°C
hold for 60 minutes
allow the piece to cool slowly inside the kiln
Total firing time: approximately 3 hours, depending on the kiln.
Slow cooling helps with the hardening process of the silver.
Fast firing method
For smaller pieces up to approximately 10 mm thick.
heat to 500°C
hold for 10 minutes
then increase to 880°C
hold for 30 minutes
do not quench in water
Total firing time: approximately 1 hour, depending on the kiln.
Finishing
After firing, the silver has a light matte metallic gray appearance. This layer can easily be removed using a fine steel brush or polishing brush.
The piece can then be further finished using:
sanding sponges
sandpaper
Habras discs
polishing paste
polishing discs
After polishing, Art Clay Silver 950 Professional has a deep sterling silver color that appears slightly darker than fine silver.
Extra strength
Fired Art Clay Silver 950 Professional has a higher surface hardness and bending strength than regular fine silver clay.*
Because of this added strength, the material is highly suitable for jewelry that will be worn frequently or designed with thinner elements.
For open rings, a minimum thickness of approximately 3 mm is recommended. Open rings are best shaped using a rubber hammer and a steel mandrel.
Carefully hammering the silver can further increase its strength.
* Results may vary depending on demarcation and measurement conditions.
Read our Silverclay handbook for an explanation of silver clay.