CiM 505 French Blue

What a wonderful colour. A blue amongst blues. A truly devine blue.

But d4mn, is it sensitive to reduction!











This is what it looks like, ideally. Ideal IMHO, as I am partial to the pure blue. Folks on the CiM website report that it can be streaky, and I do see some of that (see first pic, front mandrel, left bead.)

But here, the bead on the right was made in a slightly reducing flame, and the one on the left, in a neutral flame.

Now - it's not the nastiest reduction I've seen - and I could even maybe see a use for blue-black beads. You don't seem to be able to get it to go away though - once it's there - it's there for good.

These four beads were made from right to left, turning down the gas with each one.


On the upside, you can use this glass to check your flame chemistry!

Now these beads - these were a big, fat disappointment. The dots are CiM Pumpkin, which I blogged the other day. Oh sadness! I was expecting happy, vibrant blue and orange beads. Apparently - the Pumpkin - remember I noted that it had a sort of translucency? Well - it wasn't opaque enough for this!

I guess if I wanted green dots - I'd be happy. Note to self - Pumpkin and French Blue - not as vibrant as you thought it would be. Guess it needed a white dot underneath.