Meet Smart Bronze
Thank you for all your supportive comments on my last blog posting. I’d like to address some of your questions here.
Smart Bronze is a new clay in the Hadar’s Clay family. It is a copper alloy which, after firing, has the color of 24K gold. The shrinkage is 23.5% for flat pieces and 2.5 sizes for rings. Since it is base metal, it needs to be fired in carbon, but DOES NOT REQUIRE PRE-FIRING! It can be fired in one phase just like White Bronze and Low-shrinkage Steel XT. The firing temperature is lower than mid-fire schedule. Small batches can be fired for one hour only. It will be released next week with specific instructions. The Instruction Manual will be updated after testing some compatibility options with other metals.
Smart Bronze is a great option for beginners and teachers of metal clay, as well as experienced artists.
Here are some photos.
This hollow bean was polished to mirror shine. I took some photos to show the reflection:
April 24th, 2013 at 7:42 pm
Woo-hoo! Hook me up!
April 24th, 2013 at 7:54 pm
Beautiful. I want some!
April 24th, 2013 at 8:14 pm
Wheeeeee!!!!!!
April 24th, 2013 at 8:30 pm
Can’t wait to try this! What kind of differences would you describe in comparison to Brilliant Bronze?
April 24th, 2013 at 8:33 pm
Oh Hadar, it’s lovely!!
April 24th, 2013 at 8:55 pm
Looks amazing. I want to try it!!
April 24th, 2013 at 9:08 pm
Hadar, it is really beautiful, and your pieces are stunning. Other than the single process firing, what is the difference between this and Brilliant Bronze?
April 24th, 2013 at 9:28 pm
Beautiful work!!! The clay sounds great!!
April 24th, 2013 at 9:38 pm
Really beautiful. Can’t wait to try it.
April 24th, 2013 at 9:47 pm
Fantastic! Can’t wait….
April 24th, 2013 at 10:26 pm
Can’t wait to try it!! Beautiful..
April 24th, 2013 at 10:35 pm
You can really see the gold color in the second picture where you are holding the hollow formed bead next to the flower; I love the mirror finish. Your pieces are incredible; the fish are so cute. This is awesome; I am looking forward to working with it. Thanks Hadar
April 24th, 2013 at 11:12 pm
Yipeeee!!!!!!!
April 25th, 2013 at 3:06 am
Can you pack a little in your suitcase for your upcoming Rochester class? Really beautiful!
April 25th, 2013 at 3:30 am
Love the color! I can’t wait to try it.
April 25th, 2013 at 3:50 am
Yeah ordered -looks beautiful!!!
April 25th, 2013 at 4:12 am
Gorgeous! The color is outstanding, I am ordering! What a nice surprise, thank you!
April 25th, 2013 at 4:15 am
Ii can hardly wait.
April 25th, 2013 at 4:29 am
Hi Hadar, seems very nice and easy!
Beside the way of firing it, wich is definitively interesting, for the color is it about the color of brillant bronze? or it is different?
Thank you to continuously try and inform us
April 25th, 2013 at 4:45 am
This is an exciting development for teaching and beautiful too! Thank you again for all the time you put into your research!
April 25th, 2013 at 4:49 am
Just what I need! You are such a wonderful contributor to the mc world. Thank you for continuing to do what you do!
April 25th, 2013 at 4:57 am
Great, Hadar. How much zinc s in it? In other words, can it be enemeled?
April 25th, 2013 at 5:05 am
Love it! When will it be available?
April 25th, 2013 at 6:03 am
You are genius, Hadar. You never cease to amaze us all!
April 25th, 2013 at 6:25 am
Hadar, will Smart Bronze be sold in the dry powdered form like your other clays?
April 25th, 2013 at 6:30 am
Thanks Hadar! I ordered mine yesterday. Love some of these pieces.
April 25th, 2013 at 6:33 am
I’ve been beside myself with excitement since the first email! I’ve been silently saying in my head ‘oh pleeeease hurry up Hadar, oh you’re so cruel teasing us like this! I want some Now!’ Thank goodness you’re not actually that cruel and are putting us out of our misery quickly!
It sounds fantastic! It looks fabulous, I’m going to order some in a minute, I’m really really Really excited to get my hands on it.
Well done again Hadar- I think you are one of the best people in the world.
April 25th, 2013 at 6:59 am
the new goldish clay looks so lovely! always wonderful to have something new to look forward to from you. will go to your site right now to see if i can put some in my shopping cart! thank you, Hadar! best, Pamela
April 25th, 2013 at 7:22 am
Yea! I want some, how soon can I get it?
April 25th, 2013 at 7:38 am
Beautiful! Can’t wait to use it!
April 25th, 2013 at 8:22 am
Really looking forward to using this too. Love your clay, thanks for sharing your ingenuity with all of us!
April 25th, 2013 at 9:20 am
Terre, Color paler, closer to 24K, and lower firing temperature.
April 25th, 2013 at 9:23 am
Acina, No zinc. Can be enameled.
April 25th, 2013 at 9:24 am
Barbara, Yes, in powder form.
April 25th, 2013 at 9:31 am
Wonderful!
April 25th, 2013 at 9:35 am
ready to order!
April 30th, 2013 at 8:09 am
Hi Hadar,
I’ve been thinking something that would be really helpful for me (and therefore perhaps others too) would be two or three colour comparison photos with some Brilliant Bronze, 24k gold and the new Smart Bronze in the same shot- could you please take a few -maybe under your regular jewellery photo conditions and in your garden too? (those to show the reflections were really good) It would be really useful.
thank you Hadar
May 8th, 2013 at 7:38 am
I was excited to receive the Smart Bronze. Mixed it as I do the other clays,let it dry, added a bail, let it dry. Fired in carbon, in stainless steel container, loose lid. Ramp 1400, 2hrs at 1480 Let it cool & found a disintegrated piece. When & where can we find specific instructions? I rolled it 5 cards thick, then stamped both sides at once. Help? Thanks, Cheryl
May 14th, 2013 at 5:06 pm
Cheryl, You should not put a lid on the container. The instruction manual will be soon updated with instructions for Smart Bronze.
May 15th, 2013 at 8:29 pm
I have been a Hadar fan for quite some time, but took some time away for enameling and metalsmithing. When I saw the Smart Bronze I had to try it.
I did my first test pieces this evening. They did blister so I have to do some more adjusting, but I did want to report to everyone how beautiful this bronze is right out of the kiln. The colors that this clay threw were unbelievable. It is the most unique golden color of any clay I have ever worked with.
Hadar, you have done it again. I must applaud your tenacious spirit. you are always in search of something new and a better way to do things without draining our pockets.
I Salute you!!! Smart Bronze may be one of my fav’s of all your clays.
Thanks again,
Virginia
South Louisiana
May 16th, 2013 at 7:26 am
Thank you, Virginia!
May 16th, 2013 at 1:35 pm
Just firing my first test piece…YES!!! Really excited! Thanks Hadar.
Ro
August 14th, 2013 at 4:48 am
Disappointed…no help?
August 20th, 2013 at 7:45 pm
Sue, I’ve responded via Facebook. I hope you received my answer.