Metal forming technics

We use 4 types of metal to make our collections in silver or gold metal.

• Tin Alloy is a mixture of tin (or tinplate), antimony and copper
• Copper can be different shades of yellow (pure copper is reddish)
• Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. Freshly polished brass items are normally yellow, but can sometimes be red.
• Nickel silver is an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel, a particularly hard and little oxidizable metal.

Metal alloys are melted and cast in molds and pure metals are struck in dies.

To form metal, SIÈCLE Paris uses two major techniques: stamping and drawing.

Stamping is a process of transformation, of shaping flat metal, using dies dug in a metal more resistant than that of the sheet of flat metal which receives its pressure with force. Then the object obtained is trimmed or trimmed, before being polished, then silvered or gilded.
This is how the cutlery heads produced by SIÈCLE Paris are made, but also many small decorative or utilitarian objects such as salt shovels, empty pockets, napkin rings.

Drawing is a technique used to give shape or relief by making the imprint of a hard material in a more malleable material. SIÈCLE Paris uses this technique to manufacture its teapot bodies, coffee pots or champagne buckets, powder bottles, etc.

 

SIÈCLE also works with molten metal: foundry is one of the processes for reproducing an object in metal, which consists of pouring a liquid metal or metal alloy into a mold to reproduce, after cooling, a given part, by limiting as much as possible the subsequent finishing work. The object obtained is always trimmed, trimmed and chiseled when talking about brass, before being polished, then silvered or gilded.

Today, modern materials such as resin and silicone make it possible to directly pour the molten metal (1100°C for brass, and 900° for the tin alloy.) into the mold and thus limit the manufacturing steps. SIÈCLE has its objects made in several French artisanal workshops according to the specialties of each.

TECHNIQUE IN STEPS

First of all, the model of the sculpture to be reproduced is molded to create an imprint.
In this silicone base, small ducts are integrated to allow air and gas to escape during the melting process as well as other ducts to allow the alloy to be poured into the mold.

Once cooled, it's time to "unhook" the object from the mold. It will then be necessary to "deburr" the object, i.e. rid it of burrs, bronze jets and other excess metal remaining on the part. It's a little subtle but visible on the photo opposite.

Et voilà ! is the object or, more often the spare part is finished, and will be sent to a nearby workshop for possible assembly and silvering, gilding or patina.

 

 

CARE

These objects do not require any particular maintenance. If you don't use the item regularly, the silver version may tarnish or yellow slightly. Clean with a cloth and/or with a common silverware cleaning product.