[TheForge] daascus ring making--a how to question

[Andrew Vida]

Justin Fellenz wrote:
> All,
> 
> I have a very nice m/s and sawblade damascus billet done up that will
> become my wedding ring. I see that most of the damascus ringmakers use
> an inner sleeve of titanium or silver to prevent corrosion against the
> skin. I'm not sure how to do this. My best guess is that you cut an
> inner sleeve and silver solder them together if you're using titanium
> (I was thinking of just using stainless since I have some) but I'm not
> sure how you'd do it with a softer precious metal. Would you just heat
> the steel and touch a rod onto it like solder and then cut to shape?
> You'd need to etch with the silver on, does that work? Can you use
> silver solder for this or do you need purer metal? Would it work with
> gold?

	You can braze the silver with no trouble at all.  The secret is a very 
tight joint.  Another thing you can do (not necessary, but it makes for 
a VERY clean joint) is to stippple the inside of the steel and/or the 
outside of the silver.  If you have access to a knife grinder, put a 
9micron belt on and grind silver solder into a fine dust.    Mix with 
water and borax into a paste (vast majority should be silver) to make a 
soldering compound which is painted on the surfaces.  Assemble and sweat 
normally.  You should end up with a structurally sound joint that will 
require very little or even no cleanup.  I would do the etching after 
you braze.  HCL will not eat the silver.  My other suggestion is to heat 
the steel when brazing.  It has a higher MP.  Let the heat travel from 
the steel into the silver.  All it takes is a little patience and close 
attention to what's going on.

If you use Ti, best solution I can think of is a very slight shrink-fit. 
    You will have to turn/grind the OD of the Ti about 5-tenths 
(0.0005") over the ID of the steel band.  I would made an assembly jig 
for this as you will get but one chance at it.  Place Ti in freezer or 
better yet, dry ice.  Heat steel to about 800*, slip them together and 
there you go.  Etch and finish as desired.  You can do the same with 
stainless, but I think it's boring and horrible stuff for jewelry, but 
that's my problem.