Borosilicate glass is a unique and specialized type of glass. Its composition is much different from the "soft" glass and has been used for everything from stovetop cookware to nuclear waste containment. One of its most frequent uses is to make scientific glassware such as beakers, and test tubes. Corning Pyrex measuring cups are a familiar example of borosilicate glass, very hard and durable, try to scratch one. You will probably need carbide steel or a diamond. Borosilicate glass, like diamonds, will scratch other borosilicate glass. Remember it is best to keep your finished jewelry, and other boro glass items from rubbing against each other.
The type of work we do is called "lampwork". This is an ancient term used to describe the use of a flame to melt and form glass for utilitarian and ornamental purposes and is not glass blowing. A special high temperature oxygen/propane torch is used to reach temperatures over 3000 degrees F to melt the boro glass rods used to make the artwork. The beads made for the jewelry and some of our other glass items are made from colored glass rods manipulated by intense heat and technique to achieve the uniquely colorful special effects of the finished piece.
All of our beads and other items are kiln annealed to remove most of the stress that occurs within the glass as it is worked in the flame. This involves maintaining the heat of the piece after it has been worked to a high enough level to allow the small stress fractures to come together and then heating the piece to the anneal temperature and letting it cool slowly in stages. The resulting item is very strong and usually will not break when dropped. Remember though it is glass, and therefore not unbreakable.
Some Info on The Glass We Use
Esty.com: firefishstudio
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firefishbeads
Artist: Sandra K
Lampwork Borosilicate Beads, Dicroic Jewelry, Fused Glass Art, Silver and Beaded Jewelry
