Brass Goggles ring

[rovingjack]

 English pewter has come to represent a strictly-controlled alloy, specified by BSEN611-1 and British Standard 5140, consisting mainly of tin (ideally 92%), with the balance made up of antimony and copper. Significantly, it is free of lead and nickel. Although the exact percentages vary between manufacturers, a typical standard for present-day pewter is approximately 91% tin, 7.5% antimony and 1.5% copper.

From the 15th century onwards, the composition of English pewter was carefully protected by the Worshipful Company of Pewterers in London

or

Britannia metal or britannium is a pewter-type alloy favoured for its silvery appearance and smooth surface.

they should melt at a low enough temperature so that glass beads warmed in the mold would survive the casting process to make glass lenses. If you make a wax bas form you could make the strap one size and adjust it on a mandril to fit differant ring sizes. make a mold to make wax casts with the adjustable size,  for using in lost wax casting in lots.

[Ezra Hogbin]

I'd certainly be interested 

[Capt. Dirigible]

How do you get such amazing detail into such a tiny article!!? You clever dicky!

I'd like one as well...please.

By the way...how does it de-code?

[Victoria The Mistress]

And me!! Herr Doktor you are a genius!!!

(I'd like a silver AND a gold toned one please,as in one of each, not a hybrid, to compliment my entire wardrobe!)

[LukeHogbin]

A lovely piece of work but, not being a fan of goggles, I'll pass.

[Mr Peter Harrow, Esq]

There is a perfectly acceptable altenative to brass which is less toxic, keeps its shine better and can pass for brass. It is called gold.

[TimeTinker]

Would be happy to get a batch cast - in brass of course.

I have made some brass rings in the past. All I can say is that brass does horrid things to the skin when worn for prolonged periods and there are worries about  metal poisoning to be thought of. If one is going to use brass I would suggest chrome-ing it prior to wearing. Brass also does not keep a very good shine when worn and one would spend a great deal of time trying to keep it from looking like a piece of brown fuzzy metal.

Of course I can cast it in pewter, silver, gold, gold plated pewter or bronze.  We can also lacquer the piece if required.  My comment about brass was a homage to this place I apologise if the tone didn't come across.

I am not sure what you mean about metal poisoning though.  Although some people may react allergically to brass (The same could be said of many other metals) I am not aware of any poisonous effects from brass when worn. Copper and zinc can be a problem if ingested in large quantities but I don't think anyone would intend to eat these.  (There are some issues around zinc fumes and heavy metals used to get crispness in the cast but these relate to foundry workers rather than end users).

Let's have a conversation about the ring at The Asylum Herr Doktor.  We could have a batch in pewter (with an option to gold plate) ready in time for Christmas pressies.

[OswaldBastable]

oooo me me me  

Please 

[J. Wilhelm]

There is a perfectly acceptable altenative to brass which is less toxic, keeps its shine better and can pass for brass. It is called gold.

Yes, but gold is expensive, my friend.  Have you checked the price lately?
(see www.kitco.com, from what I see most of us are not, shall we say, "at liberty to part freely with money?")

Silver is still a much more viable option, even today being relatively inexpensive.

I don't suppose anyone has considered Precious Metal Clay?  Essentially a clay that looks and molds like porcelain, it is made of ultrafine particles of silver, gold and now even copper and bronze.  The matrix is a water or oil-soluble compound that burns away and around 800-900 Centigrade, the metal powder syntherizes.  The result is a slightly spongy (but not to the eye), yet 100% pure silver metal (Gold is 18kt pure I think).  I'm currently firing my own silver pieces for future projects.

Unfortunately the method is not cheap enough for batches, since the clay is 100%-200% more expensive than the solid metal by weight, so if everybody wants one, it might be cheaper to hire a jeweler to cast properly.

As far as toxicity of brass, I think *some* types of brass contain lead, butI've been told most alloys don't have it. It is included for ductility and softness during machining (like keys)

[NazT]

What a stonkingly good ring!!!  I would like one!!  

[edit]Oopsie where are my manners.... Please.  So sorry.

[Mr Peter Harrow, Esq]

Silver is frowned upon due to toxic effects to members of the were community.

[J. Wilhelm]

Silver is frowned upon due to toxic effects to members of the were community.

Oh! Give me a break!  So you are a werewolf? Esquire by day wolf by night?

[Lord Nicholas Horsethorn]

Of course I can cast it in pewter, silver, gold, gold plated pewter or bronze.

Could I be considered for the list please?

Pretty please can I have one in silver? a) to match my other rings and b) because gold reacts strangely with my skin.

Yours pleadingly
Lord Nick

[TimeTinker]

As far as toxicity of brass, I think *some* types of brass contain lead, butI've been told most alloys don't have it. It is included for ductility and softness during machining (like keys)

Once again unless you actually eat the rings this is not a problem.  Lead is not generally absorbed through the skin* but is a problem in fumes (hence lead txicity amongst foundry workers or people who work with hot lead) or dissolves readily in stomoach acid.  The majority of cases of lead toxicity in children is due to them eating lead.  Of course you can get lead poisoning from fragments of bullets or shrapnel left inside the body so I would strongly urge people not to shoot someone with a brass ring.

*Powdered lead or lead dust can be absorbed particularly following exertion creating acidic conditions on the skin but you would need to be constantly exposed to a lot of lead (e.g. working in a mill where lead is machined).

(Sorry for derailling the thread a little to talk about metal toxicity)

The ring is superb.  It could be produced economically in English pewter (thus legally be exported to the US)  We can patinate and/or gold plate the ring too.  This would be the cheapest and easiest method of reproducing it.  Bronze is an alternative which is popularly used for rings.  This would be more expensive particularly if a range of sizes were required.  It could also be made using cire perdue methods in any precious metal as required.  These would of course be much more expensive.

Of course Herr Doktor might prefer to keep his as a unique one off.

Herr Doktor, why not get your people to call my people.  They can do lunch!   (See you at the weekend Sir)

[J. Wilhelm]

I would strongly urge people not to shoot someone with a brass ring.

Man! You took the fun out of the whole thing! That should be a good self-defence alternative...

[Lord Nicholas Horsethorn]

I would strongly urge people not to shoot someone with a brass ring.

Man! You took the fun out of the whole thing! That should be a good self-defence alternative...

But will there be an option for a hidden poison compartment? Or perhaps a larger version which doubles as 'brass knuckles'?

Lord Nick

[LukeHogbin]

*snip* so I would strongly urge people not to shoot someone with a brass ring. *snip*

That reminds me of a scene from The Crow, in Gideon's pawn shop, where he loads a shotgun with rings and fires it.

[Mr Peter Harrow, Esq]

I am a lawyer so the undead and weres show me professional courtesy as a fellow member of the eternally damned.

Herr Doktor, slightly off thread, but have you considered making a cane head? I am sure you would make a first rate knob!

Seriously, there is a lack of steampunk specific cane heads, there are a couple of nice compass heads but nothing especially sculpted, and too many people have to make do with a door knob, or my own choice canal boat tiller pins. A raygun (your signature piece), airship or air kraken would make a nice piece in brass or silver effect, or even cast in resin as mock ivory, and could be used for umbrellas and parasol mods as well as canes. There is a cane making and collector community outside of steampunk who would also be attracted to such a piece.

[J. Wilhelm]

That reminds me of a scene from The Crow, in Gideon's pawn shop, where he loads a shotgun with rings and fires it.

   I forgot about that!  That's what I'm talking about.

I'll check on this thread later...it's pretty late over here, I must catch some sleep (and I'll keep the silver cross handy, in case of Esquire werewolves on the loose!), but the way things are going, by tomorrow this thread will become very long indeed  

[Just call me Rob]

I would also like one….
However, I don't wear rings.
Is there any chance of the same basic shape but as some sort of pin badge.

[Ezra Hogbin]

Herr Doktor, slightly off thread, but have you considered making a cane head? I am sure you would make a first rate knob!

Oo, er, missus!!

[LukeHogbin]

I would also like one….
However, I don't wear rings.
Is there any chance of the same basic shape but as some sort of pin badge.

You could always wear it on a chain around your neck...

[Capt. Dirigible]

But will there be an option for a hidden poison compartment?

If there is the Countess will probably want one, too. Very big on poisoner jewellery is the Countess.(she's not called Countess Cyanide for nothing!). Although she only wears silver.

[NazT]

But will there be an option for a hidden poison compartment?

If there is the Countess will probably want one, too. Very big on poisoner jewellery is the Countess.(she's not called Countess Cyanide for nothing!). Although she only wears silver.

Ah but this could have 2 compartments!!  lol

[Capt. Dirigible]

But will there be an option for a hidden poison compartment?

If there is the Countess will probably want one, too. Very big on poisoner jewellery is the Countess.(she's not called Countess Cyanide for nothing!). Although she only wears silver.

Ah but this could have 2 compartments!!  lol

One for the poison...and one for the antidote?