For me, melting down silver in a crucible is the most frightening of jewellery techniques.

It is not just the heat required – nearly 1000 degrees Celsius – but the sharp, noisy hissing that the large torch produces.

Learning the technique does come in useful though. This way I can re-use silver scrap that otherwise I would be selling to wholesalers at half its value.

Just needs practice to get comfortable with.