Casting Nickel silver

[Kent]

Anybody done it? Got some old cutlery I am thinking of melting down and casting for some knife making components.
Obviously got my gas and coal forges for heat, what about the crucible though? Only going to cast into a bar initially by poring into an open mold

 

[scott0031]

My first though on reading this was FUMES. I have worked with nickel silver extensively in my press tool days, heating it was something we never had the need to do.

A quick search initially throws this up. I would suggest you go do a proper search on this before even attempting to heat something like nickel. I do recall visiting a nickel mine in Canada many years ago ..... and everything was dead. There was no vegetation for miles and miles.

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~toxmetal/toxic-metals/more-metals/nickel-faq.html

 

[Kent]

How's things work with silver solder then?

 

[rtbcomp]

Don't breathe the fumes, although I suspect the lead and flux fumes will be more dangerous than the silver.

 

[Kent]

Like most things we melt and burn won't do you no good. To be frank though if it's extra risk I will just weigh them in

 

[Spark plug]

I know a chap that was trying to get some vintage cast items re produced in nickel, he tried all over the country and no ware would entertain him or if they would they wanted a kings ransom. The fumes are very very nasty apparently.

 

[brightspark]

nothing that a decent extracata cant handle or doing it outside