Metal Types
All metals I use are 100% hypoallergenic lead and nickel free. They will not rust or tarnish and do not have a finish that can "wear off", leaving discoloration on your skin. Materials have been carefully chosen for their durability and hypoallergenic nature.
We only use high quality 430 stainless steel that is certified to be nickel free from the manufacturer. This type of steel has a slightly higher level of chromium than other types of stainless steel instead of the nickel that would typically be alloyed in for strength. It has good corrosion resistance so will not pit, rust, or oxidize and it is our strongest metal option. While the wires used to form splints are all nickel free, the stainless steel chain is made from eith 316L (surgical stainless) or 304 (such as used in cutlery) and contains about 5%-7% nickel. Most people do not have issues with this type of stainless steel and it's very commonly used in both jewelry and body jewelry, but if you are extremely sensitive to nickel a separate sterling silver, gold filled, or titanium chain may need to be purchased.
Since I am working directly with the manufacturer, each batch that I order comes with certification of it's quality.
Sterling Silver- Sterling silver is an alloy of 92.5% fine silver and 7.5% copper. The copper is necessary to strengthen the metal, as fine silver by itself is far too soft to be used in any jewelry application. While it's very rare, some people can react with the copper content and find their fingers oxidized (this is also something that can be caused by things like medications or diet that affect the pH of your body), and even more rarely people can be allergic to the silver itself. Sterling silver will typically be kept shiny by the natural oils in your skin from wearing it, but if it has been put away for a while or you live in certain climates may tarnish. If this happens, a simple jewelry cleaning cloth (included as a free gift with every order) will remove the tarnish. Sterling silver can also oxidize from coming into contact with some chemicals, most notably sulfur which can be found naturally occurring in ground water in some areas .
We offer 14k Yellow and Rose gold filled options. Gold filled is similar to gold plated, but with a much thicker coating of 14k gold bonded to a brass or copper core. This gives assurance that the gold will wear well, without flaking or peeling off like plated while having a more reasonable price as well as better strength than solid gold. Gold is naturally a softer metal so splints made with gold filled wire will typically be made with a heavier gauge wire stock to ensure proper strength and durability, however it's still not advised to use gold filled splints for daily wear if you work with your hands or are generally rough on them as the surface of the splints are likely to take scuffs and scratches much easier.
We use 99.9% pure Grade 2 titanium. This grade of titanium is softer that Grade 1 so that it can be hand worked to form splints. Titanium is extremely lightweight and is an excellent option for those with sensory issues, weighing only about half as much as sterling silver. Titanium is also the best choice for those with MCAS or severe metal allergies due to its hypoallergenic nature. It is exceedingly rare for titanium to cause a reaction. Due to requiring additional steps in production to achieve a high shine on the finished splint titanium has a longer processing time than the other metal types.
If you happen be allergic to the metals I have listed here I can also special order niobium wire stock, which usually costs about the same as sterling silver. Niobium is another completely hypoallergenic metal similar to titanium, however it is much denser so weighs considerably more than titanium and is not as corrosion resistant so you would want to be careful with chemicals.
I can also special order solid 14k gold wire in yellow, rose, or white; the price of which would be dependent on the current metal market rate for gold. For example today the rate is $2,329.70/ozt which makes the cost of the gold for one swan neck splint $830. Due to the expense of gold stainless steel mock-up splints will have to be tried out first to ensure no adjustments need to be made.
If you'd like to set up a custom order for gold or niobium just reach out via the contact form!