Contribution short abstract:

This paper aims to take the makers' point of view on upcycling that is characterised by a professional focus on the materiality of things.

Contribution long abstract:

Iron comes in different alloys. The more carbon, the harder the steel and the sharper the knife. However, there is a greater risk that the blade will bend or even break when hardening. It will also rust more quickly. There are also big differences in the purity of silver, which affects its malleability, lustre and value. While ancient silver coins were once melted down, Tuareg smiths began to forge jewellery from higher-purity sterling silver with the advent of tourism in the Sahara. But silver is heavy. Some women therefore prefer earrings made of lightweight aluminium, which does not hurt when worn. With the electrification of Agadez, stainless steel became a new, shiny and cheap alternative to silver. It just needed to be collected from the streets. Stainless steel is difficult to shape, but bracelets made from it are virtually indestructible. Tuareg blacksmiths melt and alloy scrap metal from a variety of sources, including old silver jewellery, bullet casings, tin cans and old car batteries. However, the choice of metals, as well as their names, such as black and white silver or dry and wet iron, is very much related to their materiality, taking into account properties such as malleability, weight, melting temperature, oxidation and accessibility of the raw material, as well as the needs of the object to be made (purpose, aesthetics, price, healing properties, sharpness, stability). The argument of the paper is based on long-term field research in Niger.