Advice Please on Reichenbach Magic & DH Kronos on a HH

helbels · October 17, 2009, 06:08:13 PM

Hello all knowledgeable fritters...

I bought some DH Kronos and some Reichenbach Magic today and had a go...

Magic stayed sort of beige...

DH Kronos stayed dark blue...

Tried heating, reducing, heating, more reducing but still nothing exciting from either of them.

Any tips please?

Thanks

Mary · October 17, 2009, 07:51:35 PM

Not tried Magic on a HH, but it's not a reducer, it's a striker. Get it as hot as you can and keep it hot, then let it cool and see what happens.

Kronos should reduce fine on your torch. How are you reducing? Are you really getting the holes covered to give a big roary flame?

If you are, are you letting the bead cool before doing it? Kronos won't strike if it's too hot. You are aiming to grow the silver crystals. Get the glass too hot and you melt the crystals. You need to let the glow fade.

Without watching you it's hard to know exactly what you need to change, hope that is some help at least!

helbels · October 17, 2009, 08:43:40 PM

Thanks Mary, that's really helpful!

I wish I'd realised that Magic was a striker - I haven't managed to get anything to strike yet on my HH

Trudi · October 17, 2009, 09:46:28 PM

you know I was not sure if Magic was a striker or reducer. I'll have to get it out again!

Shirley · October 18, 2009, 09:12:19 AM

Magic is a striker, variation on raku. On a hothead heat it up as much as you can, then cool quickly - marver on brass or press it, and then warm on the edge of the flame to try to coax out the colours

bluefairy · October 18, 2009, 10:03:21 AM

Quote from: Shirley on October 18, 2009, 09:12:19 AM
Magic is a striker, variation on raku. On a hothead heat it up as much as you can, then cool quickly - marver on brass or press it, and then warm on the edge of the flame to try to coax out the colours

And how about on a minor? I've never been able to get it to do anything, but then I haven't got a clue how I'm supposed to be working it!

Shirley · October 18, 2009, 11:57:34 AM

same i would think, but you can vary the heat of your torch more effectively.

Mary · October 18, 2009, 12:17:59 PM

I think Magic is meant to work at less than the stupid hot raku needs, that is certainly true of Multicolour. You won't get raku to work well on a HH, but it's great on a Minor, so you should be fine with Magic. I know I overheat Multicolour on my 2 oxy-con setup.

Trudi · October 19, 2009, 08:39:46 AM

well - when I got to my studio - I thought I'll try this glass again. But my memory failed me a little and I thought we were talking about multicolour. So I grabbed that and had a play - and you know what I got loads of colour, much more than I did before!! I'll post a picture later!!

Next time I'll try magic!

Mary · October 19, 2009, 11:39:12 AM

Great!

There are a few that work similarly, though with vartiations, so you'll find which one you like best. I love raku 96 and chalcedony, I don't get such good colours from multicolour or raku 104.