I am a jeweler, I've been working with metal (primarily silver, copper, and brass for my own work) for almost a decade. I've recently been learning how to flamework glass for jewelry, and I'm in love with it. Currently running into a consistent design problem that I need help with.
Background info: I make glass studs, formed/melted directly onto wire that becomes the earring post. The process involves working at a bench-mounted torch, where I melt the glass onto the post/wire, then shape and form it (about 10-15 min process). Then it has to go through an 8-12 hour kiln cycle to remove all internal stress from the glass so it doesn't shatter.
I work with two types of glass--Borosilicate and Effetre. For boro, working temperature reaches around 2000 degrees F, up to 2200. The kiln runs at 1050 degrees F, ramping down about 100 degrees per hour. For effetre, working temperature is around 1400-1700, and the kiln starts at 950 degrees.
Problem 1: Because temperatures get so high, I have to use a metal that won't melt. Typically working in 18-20g wire. Steel works (and is what we were given in the glass program), but by the time it comes out of the kiln, it doesn't seem to be 'stainless' anymore, and my piercings definitely react negatively to it. Some people have no problems with these steel earrings, but I personally can't wear them for more than a few hours max, and I feel I can't sell those in good conscience. I tried to use silver or brass, and ran into problem 2.
Problem 2: Coefficient of expansion. Glass types are separated by their coefficent of expansion, with Boro at 3.3 (pretty sure x10^-6), and effetre at 10.4. These types of glass are not compatible with each other, because as they cool in the kiln, the differing expansion rates lead to shattering. This is also what happens with silver anytime I do manage to get glass on it, it's broken when I take it out of the kiln. Brass is slightly better, but seems to still break in a matter of weeks or months--lots of internal stress. So I started researching the coefficent of expansion for different metals, saw that silver and brass were both around a 19, and realized that was a losing game and never going to work sustainably. I looked into other metals and saw that titanium was a pretty close match at an 8.6 or so. Awesome, it's body safe, won't melt at the temperatures I work in, etc. Ordered wire and was planning to experiment in the studio a few days from now. Luckily, I decided to do a little more research today, and discovered that titanium is incredibly reactive with oxygen, especially under heat, and combusts easily. So now I'm thinking that experiment might be a bad idea if I don't want to blow up a large shared studio (or their kilns!).
Is there any metal you know of that might work for this purpose?? Anything I could do differently with the steel (COE ~11, these earrings have not broken) to make it more body safe, or the titanium kiln safe??
Summary of requirements: Safe to put in piercings; withstands working temperatures of either 2000-2200 degrees F, or 1400-1700 degrees F for 10-15 minutes; can withstand kiln temps around 1000 degrees for 10ish hours; has a similar expansion rate to glass.
I've been going crazy trying to figure this out!! If you have any ideas or leads please let me know!!
