Playing with Double Helix Ekho (or any TE test batches) Shards

I wrote this reply to a question posted on the ISGB forum on how to use TE-317 shards from Double Helix, thought I would share this on my blog as well. This is just a basic intro . . . there are many other ways to play with shards that reduce, strike or both reduce and strike . . . experiment and enjoy!

• Make a base bead
• Pick up a piece of shard with your tweezers and wave one edge in and out of the tip of the flame to pre-warm
• Spot heat the base bead and attach the edge to the bead
• Wrap the shard around the bead
• Heat to adhere
• Warm the bead evenly to a dull glow
• Proceed to one of the following options

Option A
• Let the bead cool until the glow is gone (put it under the table to see the glow disappear)
• Adjust to a reducing flame by . . . 1) decreasing the propane/natural gas, 2) increasing the oxygen, or 3) decreasing the fuel AND increasing the oxygen
• Re-introduce the bead at the tip of the flame and watch the reduction appears

Option B
• Melt in the shards completely and reshape
• Heat the bead until the shards are white hot (hazy, almost droopy)
• Marver to reshape (do not put it back in the flame)
• Let the bead cool until the glow is gone (put it under the table to see the glow disappear)
• Re-introduce the bead at the tip of the flame and strike, the shards should be dark brown
• Let cool a wee bit and reheat
• Repeat cooling and heating (but not to extreme, just cool some and heat some) to see colors develop

Option C
Melt in the shards completely and reshape
• Heat the bead until the shards are white hot (hazy, almost droopy)
• Marver to reshape (do not put it back in the flame)
• Let the bead cool until the glow is gone (put it under the table to see the glow disappear)
• Re-introduce the bead at the tip of the flame and strike, the shards should be dark brown
• Let cool a wee bit and reduce as in Option A
• Back to neutral flame and encase with Clear (either the entire bead or just where there are shards applied), keeping the bead under the flame
• Melt in clear very slowly as not to lose the reduction effects