Metal Clay

I am trying to imitate ear cuffs I have previously purchased. One end of the ear cuff is sealed by a bead glued to it. The other end of the ear cut is left raw. How do I soften the cut raw end of the ear cuff so that it doesn't scratch the ear...

If the raw end of the cuff is precious metal like sterling silver, you can hand file the raw end of the metal to a smooth finish. Filing plated...

Can I fire glass and metal at the same time? I would like to combine the 2 in 1 piece.

Yes, you can co-fire metal clay and glass in a kiln. When working with the two materials, metal clay and glass, the lower firing temperature clays...

I want to create a thin metal setting to go around a variety of different stones and crystals ... to make them shape specific in a gold plate or copper color. Do I need to use bronze/copper clay for that or buy a thin sheet of metal and cut it to...

Metal clay is very versatile; its easy to shape around components such as stones and crystals. Some metal clay works with fine silver or sterling...

I had some left over Art Clay and wrapped it back into the original packaging. When I went to work with it again a few weeks later, it crumbled. I added some water and put it back in the packaging but it is still in pieces. Can you suggest another...

Place the clay into a suitable receptacle, and using a tool, break the dried clay into as tiny pieces as is possible. I like to work in a very sturdy...

After firing PMC clay earrings I decided to try to bend a corner of one of them and it snapped off! Was it not fired long enough? Is there any way to make a new piece and fire it on the existing earring?

Your earrings were not correctly fired or sintered. Each package of clay comes with firing instructions and it's advisable to do a test fire before...

I just bought a new kiln and have tried the time and temperature listed, but my pieces are coming out not completely fired. How do I adjust the time and temperature without ruining more silver and copper clay?

Each kiln fires differently, and results can vary according to ramp times and where the pieces are placed in the firing pan (for PMC PRO™, BRONZclay™...

I have a hot pot that fires silver clay with pellet stove gel. Do I have to use PMC3 or can I use Art Clay? Is there a difference in the clay itself or does it just depend on the size/grams?

Hot pots are designed for use with low fire metal clay--PMC3® and Art Clay® 650 both fit the bill. The two brands of clay are different in a few...

I've heard that small PMC pieces can be fired using a torch. How is this done and how do I tell when it's fully fired?

Your metal clay design should be no larger than a silver dollar to be fired using a torch. It cannot include glass inclusions or gemstones (safe for...

I see people handling Metal Clay bare handed in videos. Isn't there a toxicity issue?

Metal Clay is non-toxic and safe for handling with your bare hands. Some people like to wear dust masks when filing and sanding dry Metal Clay, or to...

Can I use different metal clays on the same piece, e.g. bronze, copper, and or silver?

Yes you can use different clays together however they cannot be fired together in the "clay" state. You must form, finish and fire one clay type...

I recently made a ring out of Art Clay silver, and can't get it off the mandrel! I've found a lot of suggestions for preventing Art Clay from sticking in the future, but none that help me fix what's already been done. How do I get my ring free...

Adding water to the ring band will soften the clay and help relieve some of the tension being applied to the mandrel from the ring which occurs when...

What are the temperature settings and length of time for your kiln, for a silver piece with cubic zirconia gems in it?

1650-degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours in a kiln is usually safe for most cubic zirconias. Not all cubic zirconias have the same results though, so it...

I bought some silver Art Clay some years ago, it's never been opened. Do you know if it can still be used? I would be firing it with a butane torch. Thanks!

The clay can still be used. Any unfired clay can be made reusable in one form or the other.Open the package to see what condition the clay is in. If...

I notice that after firing my Art Clay with a torch, it no longer lies flat (when it was flat before firing). Am I firing too long, or not long enough?

Warping or distortion often happens if the flame of a torch is concentrated for too long in one part of the piece or when a piece is too large to be...

How durable is the jewelry made from Art Clay®? Can you sell it as handmade jewelry and know it will last?

Art Clay® is made from 99.9% fine silver. The handmade findings, beads, pendants and charms you create are as durable as any other fine silver bead...

I'm interested in making a line of tags for dog collars out of the art clay. Is there any reason I shouldn't use this sort of medium (toxicity, etc.)? I'm also curious as to its durability. Thanks in advance for any advice!

Art Clay is a non-toxic material, so there's no toxicity issue for using it around pets. However, fine silver is quite a bit softer than sterling...

I am interested in working with metal clay but was wondering if there is a difference between the silver clay and the pure silver that you can buy. Also, if I sold a piece of silver made from the clay, would I have to make a special note of it to...

Art Clay® metal clay is made up of fine silver particles suspended in a water-based clay. The clay burns up during firing and what remains is a piece...

After you have used a liver of sulfur bath for a fired metal clay piece, how do you dispose of the liver of sulfur? Thanks for your help.

Though Liver of Sulfur (potassium polysulfide) can be a hazardous substance in dry form (please read this product's warning label), it quickly goes...

I'm interested in doing silver clay jewelry. What's the best way to get started? I love marcasite. Can I put them in the silver clay and then heat or is it best to glue them in later. Would I use jewelry glue or slip?

Precious metal clay is a great way to create pure metal pieces without needing an expensive set up. You can start with the convenient Art Clay®...

I have a small star sapphire and I wanted to make it into a ring using the Art Clay Silver. The gem chart that lists the characteristics of gemstones and indicates which ones are safe to fire in a kiln, lists normal sapphires but it doesn't list...

It isn't safe to fire star sapphires in a kiln as they will crumble to dust due to the extreme heat and nature of a star sapphire. You will need to...