How to Make Silver Spoons With Pure Silver
The spoon form hasn't changed much since the earliest spoons were found in 700 BC by the Etruscans. Sterling silver was first extracted and used to make tangible items as early as the third millennium BC, but didn't become a symbol of tangible wealth until the 18th century. It wasn't uncommon for the men and women of that time period to hoard their silver coins until they had enough of them to take to a silversmith to make a usable object. You can make a silver spoon with pure silver today using similar techniques.
Things You'll Need
- Hard wood stump
- Carving tools
- 14-gauge sterling silver sheeting
- Pencil
- Paper
- Scissors
- Rubber cement
- Jeweler's saw
- Bench pin
- V-pin
- Jeweler's files
- Sandpaper
- Ball-peen hammer
- Ruby or Diamond Rouge
- Soft cloth
Instructions
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1
Carve a bowl-shaped hole into the top of a dried hardwood stump to use for creating the bowl on the end of the spoon. Sand the area until smooth. Note: A good wood to use is walnut or cherry.
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2
Draw the shape of the spoon on a piece of paper. Fold the spoon shape down the center of the handle through the bowl so the line is on the outside of the paper. Look at both sides of the folded spoon and determine which is the most accurate. Cut along the line and open the spoon. This will make the spoon symmetrical.
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3
Brush rubber cement over the back of the paper spoon. Place the paper spoon along the edge of the 14-gauge sterling silver.
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4
Cut around the paper spoon pattern with a jeweler's saw. Remove the paper pattern after the spoon is cut from the sterling silver.
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5
File and sand the edges of the spoon with jeweler's files and sandpaper until smooth.
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6
Place the bowl of the spoon in the hardwood carved bowl shape. Gently tap the center of the spoon bowl with a ball-peen hammer. Continue the process until the bowl end of the spoon is shaped. Note: Gentle taps will prevent indentations in the surface of the silver.
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7
Gently tap the shape of the handle using the hardwood stump.
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8
Remove the spoon from the stump and sand the entire surface with sandpaper. Finish polishing the surface of the spoon with ruby or diamond rouge. Note: Using both rouges is possible. First polish with the ruby rouge then move to the diamond.
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References
- Photo Credit spoon image by Bram J. Meijer from Fotolia.com
