Gold Wire Question

[shermlock]

What type of wire do you folks use when you want the classic gold color but don't want to pay for the real gold price. I have made some poor purchases when it comes to gold wire and don't want to waste any more money. Everything I have bought looks cheap and doesn't really look like gold.
Thanks,
Scott

[NatureNut]

12/20 or 14/20 gold-filled wire from Rio Grande does a very nice job.
Jo

[talkingstones]

I skip the gold thing altogether and tend to combine bronze and brass or just go with brass.

[steveo]

I use gold filed from Rio also.

[zarguy]

I too use 14k gold filled (5%) from Rio Grande. I've found than gold lovers want the real thing, even if it's only 5%.

Lynn

[rockdude]

There is a product called jeweler's bronze that has the same color as 14K gold. It is the same color all the way thru. Gold-filled or plated does have real gold on it, on the outside but depending on the design might show wear and the base metal color from underneath after being worn awhile. I have bought the jeweler's bronze wire in the past but I'll have to look for the link.

[rockdude]

Here's that link....http://www.whimsie.com/brass%20wire%20craft.html#anchor137286

[upsided0wnducks]

As you can see a lot of us use Gold Filled wire, here is what I tell my customers about this particular wire:

14/20 Gold Filled Wire

Gold Filled Wire is not the same as Gold Plated. Gold Filled is an actual layer of gold pressure bonded to a base metal. Gold Filled Wire has over 100% more gold than Gold Platting does. Gold Filled is much more valuable, won't chip away and is more tarnish resistant than plated. Anyone who can wear Gold can wear Gold Filled without worries of allergic reactions to the jewelry.

In the notation 14/20 the 14 refers to the gold being 14k and the 20 refers to the law that to be labeled "Gold Filled" the weight of the wire has to be 1/20th gold. All Zoria's products that have Gold Filled wire is at least 14/20 quality or better.

And I too get my Gold Filled and Argentium Sterling Silver from RioGrande.com

Krista

[FrogAndBearCreations]

I use gold-filled, high quality brass, gold plated copper for the gold wraps

Sterling silver, argentium silver, stainless steel, nickle silver, silver plated copper, and titainium coated copper for my silver wraps

and of course copper both in new and antiqued for my copper wraps

I sell more copper wraps then any of the others

[rockpickerforever]

I mostly use sterling silver, but I picked up some gold filled from a older woman in our rock club that no longer wraps. She had purchased it years ago from Universal Wirecraft Co, in Bradenton, FL.
universalwirecraft.com/
I've never bought from them, so have no idea how they compare price-wise, but she pretty much bought all her wire from them, including silver.

The tag on it is marked "1/20 14K GF", so I assume that it also 1/20 gold by weight. Although I was able to pick it up for a song, I still hesitate to use it, as I am still learning and don't want to screw up with the expensive wire. However, I did just use some to wrap a cute little agate, to give as a birthday gift for neigbor's ten year old daughter. Will post a photo when I get it out of the camera. Jean

[Bikerrandy]

14/20 from Rio Grande is what I use as well, but lately I've been using a lot of black coated copper from Parawire for my "satin finish" cabs.