Meet Hadar’s Clay™ Champagne Bronze
In January 2014 we will be releasing a new clay called High-Fire Champagne Bronze. It is a champagne-colored metal which fires at high-fire schedule.
Do we really need yet another metal clay? I say yes, and here is the reason: those of us who like colorful mixed metal jewelry have been limited so far to combining two metals only: copper and steel (at high-fire schedule) or copper and bronze (at mid-fire schedule). Steel could be added to a copper/bronze combination at mid-fire schedule only in tiny amounts (to create mokume-gane patterns), or it would not sinter. On the other hand, bronze could not be added to copper and steel at all at high-fire schedule, because it would over-fire.
Champagne Bronze is meant to rectify this situation. Since it is high-fire, it can be added to copper and steel without limiting the amount of steel and with no need to lower the firing temperature.
This new clay can also be fired on its own. After firing it is strong and can be hammered flat; rings can be hammered around a mandrel.
Champagne Bronze will be available in a 100-gram jar as well as in a combo package containing 50 grams each of Champagne Bronze, Quick-fire Copper, and Low-shrinkage Steel XT.
Many metal clay users are attracted to mixed metal jewelry but hesitate to try it because it seems too complicated. High-Fire Champagne Bronze makes it much easier. It fires in one session, at the same temperature as copper and steel, and shows a good contrast with them even without the use of patina. For this reason, it is suitable for both beginners and experienced users of metal clay.
The three-metal combo package comes with firing instructions and a link to two free projects for beginners, which will be posted here with the release of the product.
A separate Instruction Manual for Champagne Bronze will be linked in the right panel of this blog and on our Online Store.
