Daily Wire Tip Aug. 24: Sorting Scrap Wire

Daily Wire Jewelry Making Tip
August 24, 2010

Question:

When saving scrap bits of wire (the ones to small to use for any other purpose), should the various types of wire (brass, sterling, copper, gold-filled) be stored separately or can they all go in a single container?

-Sherri in Cody, Wyoming

Answer:

In my opinion, wire scraps should be sorted as follows:

• Argentium and sterling silver together;
• Each karat of gold separately such as 10kt, 12kt, 14kt, and 18kt;
• Each karat of gold-filled separately such as 10kt gold filled, 12kt gold filled, and 14kt gold filled;
• Brass;
• Copper;
• Nickel;
• Steel;
• And then plated items. If you know what the base metal is, you can place it in the appropriate base metal bin.

These days about everyone one is taking metal scraps, from your local jewelry store to the recycle center. If your metals are properly sorted, it will be easier for you to sell them, as most purchasers will require them to have been separated.

Answer contributed by Dale “Cougar” Armstrong

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7 Comments

1. 

   mary

   August 24, 2010 at 11:57 am

   Most definitely sort it out by metals and save yourself a whole lot of time and frustration. I cashed in over a pound of gold-filled wire scrap at the last Bead Fest in Philadelphia and I was so glad I had set up separate shoe boxes for each metal type. The hubby confiscated my sterling scrap and melted it down into a billet so he could recycle that into his knifemaking supplies. He will just roll it through the mill for the sheet he wants.
2. 

   V

   August 24, 2010 at 3:39 pm

   Really? I have tried to sell Sterling Silver wire scrap before, and no one would take it. They said it had to be stamped.
   Now granted, this was a jeweler/pawn shop. My wire was labeled and sorted. Are there others who would be more likely to do so?
   I suppose I *could* get a stamp… but is that necessary?
3. 

   Patti Malone

   August 24, 2010 at 5:24 pm

   Thanks for the question and the answer. I asked my husband (a retired metallurgical engineer) and he said I could put all the gold filled wire (I don’t work with plated unless it’s for practice) in one container. So, to separate them out, is there any way to do so easily? i.e., 12kt gold filled vs 14kt gold filled?
   • 

     dalecgr

     August 30, 2010 at 12:28 pm

     Patti, the only way I know of to sort 12k from 14k is by the color or weight, but by color seems to be easier.
4. 

   Tami Brewer

   August 24, 2010 at 7:45 pm

   I am planning on having my scraps melted down and use them in other jewelry. I have a friend that has a forge that can melt the metal. I am sure you could find someone in your area or your local college that would have a torch or forge hot enough to melt your metal. The small communtiy college in my town was offering white metalsmithing classes several years ago.
5. 

   Kathleen Bianchi

   August 25, 2010 at 3:09 pm

   I save all my scraps separately, and mostly I use Silver or Argentium. When I have enough of both types of scraps, I send them to Riogrande, and they pay me for it. It might only be $20.00 worth, but it helps.
6. 

   mary

   August 30, 2010 at 4:55 pm

   In response to “V”‘s question concerning having to have a stamp for sterling silver wire scraps. No, you don’t need one. Your wire supplier should be more than willing to trade-in your scrap silver wire and issue you a credit to apply to any future purchases for more wire, etc. If they won’t buy it may simply be that they are not set up for such, but should be able to recommend someone to you who does.