metal puzzler

Some years ago I was making a pin with the image comprising several
different metals sweat soldered to a silver backing.I had too much solder
employed and some of the seams between metals that I wanted to remain open
filled with solder. The pin was thin enough that I thought I would reopen
the seams with my saw and solder it to a thin piece of silver sheet again.
When I started cutting the solder out of the seam it was like sawing
stainless steel (if not tougher) the blade would break after a few sweeps
time after time until I gave up.Can anyone tell me what happened to the
silver solder in this instance? The metals present were silver, 14k gold,
bronze, copper, brass, and the solder...thank you.

Robert Merritt

Typhoon News User wrote:

Some years ago I was making a pin with the image comprising several
different metals sweat soldered to a silver backing.I had too much solder
employed and some of the seams between metals that I wanted to remain open
filled with solder. The pin was thin enough that I thought I would reopen
the seams with my saw and solder it to a thin piece of silver sheet again.
When I started cutting the solder out of the seam it was like sawing
stainless steel (if not tougher) the blade would break after a few sweeps
time after time until I gave up.Can anyone tell me what happened to the
silver solder in this instance? The metals present were silver, 14k gold,
bronze, copper, brass, and the solder...thank you.

I've never run into that. Since you use a variety of metals, is there any
chance the original backing was actually nickel-silver? Sawing it is like
trying to chew concrete with rotten teeth.
--
mbstevens http://www.mbstevens.com

No nickle silver involved, my thought was that it was overheated and some of
the metals combined to form a hard alloy out of what was relativly soft
metals?

Robert Merritt


"mbstevens" wrote in message
...
Typhoon News User wrote:

Some years ago I was making a pin with the image comprising several
different metals sweat soldered to a silver backing.I had too much
solder
employed and some of the seams between metals that I wanted to remain
open
filled with solder. The pin was thin enough that I thought I would
reopen
the seams with my saw and solder it to a thin piece of silver sheet
again.
When I started cutting the solder out of the seam it was like sawing
stainless steel (if not tougher) the blade would break after a few
sweeps
time after time until I gave up.Can anyone tell me what happened to the
silver solder in this instance? The metals present were silver, 14k
gold,
bronze, copper, brass, and the solder...thank you.

I've never run into that. Since you use a variety of metals, is there any
chance the original backing was actually nickel-silver? Sawing it is like
trying to chew concrete with rotten teeth.
--
mbstevens http://www.mbstevens.com