# black on cloth when polishing silver jewelery?



## illmaticnyc (Apr 12, 2005)

what is the black stuff that comes onto the cloth when polishing silver?
are you supposed to keep buffing the silver until you see no black residue?


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## Rich (Jul 10, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by illmaticnyc_
> 
> what is the black stuff that comes onto the cloth when polishing silver?
> are you supposed to keep buffing the silver until you see no black residue?


Silver oxide. Which is why silver if left long enough without cleaning goes completely black. If the silver is extremely well-cleaned no black rubs off. However, I think a little patina should be left on. An interesting question is whether traces of oxide on silver forks and spoons can be ingested and be harmful. Silver is after all a heavy metal. Does anyone know?


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## rip (Jul 13, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by illmaticnyc_
> 
> what is the black stuff that comes onto the cloth when polishing silver?
> are you supposed to keep buffing the silver until you see no black residue?


It's a combination of the oxidation (tarnish) from the silver and residue from the polishing compound impregnated in the cloth. Polish until the silver looks the way you want it. Even highly polished silver will leave some black on the cloth. Just remember, polishing removes a small amount of silver.

Esse Quam Videre


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## DougNZ (Aug 31, 2005)

That's 'tarnish', an oxidation on the silver (actually, an oxidation of the alloys in the silver).

You are correct to polish that until it is removed. However, it is important that you do not use an abrasive cleaning agent (including toothpaste) on silverwear, especially silver plate, or your will end up with nickle silver, copper or britannia metal objects! Instead look for a foam cleaner that converts much of the tarnish back to silver. After lathering it up and then rinsing, dry with a soft cloth and then polish with your polishing cloth. Heavy tarnish may need another foaming, but you will end up with a brilliantly shiney object with little or no reduction in the plating.

For smaller irems, use a liquid dip that converts the tarnish back to silver. Then just buff to a shine with the polishing cloth. Beware of immersing any organic material such as pearls, ivory or shell, and of any ferrous or lead material included on the piece.

My recommendation for products is Haggerty's but I have used others such as Goddards and an American brand whose name escapes me right now. For those wishing to try the old washing soda and aluminium trick, I had poor results with my experiments.


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## Tomasso (Aug 17, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by Rich_
> An interesting question is whether traces of oxide on silver forks and spoons can be ingested and be harmful.


That's an interesting question. To offer a testimonial, I will say that I'm the third generation(to my knowledge) of my family that has used sterling flatware on a daily basis, for all home meals. My parents and grandparents all lived well into their eighties and generally enjoyed excellent health and I seem to be doing quite well(knock on wood).


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## 15152 (Oct 17, 2004)

Leaving tarnished metal overnight in a glass of coke works, obviously wash it afterwards, and a pencil rubber is a good emergency cleaner for metal objects with a high silver content, I have used it on my medals a few times.


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## Roger (Feb 18, 2005)

May I add in gold jewelry here. I have a couple of watches that are gold-plated. Although gold doesn't tarnish to any extent, I've noticed that the finish gets a little dull in time. I've been very reluctant to polish much for fear of wearing off the gold plating, which I imagine is just a few microns thick. What would those of you knowledgeable about metal polishing recommend for gold plate?

Vancouver


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## DougNZ (Aug 31, 2005)

Different products need to be used for gold products; gold and silver and different metals and required different treatment. However, gold tarnish, like silver, is a result of the alloys used. Gold and silver, on their own, are noble metals and do not tarnish.


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## Roger (Feb 18, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by DougNZ_
> 
> Different products need to be used for gold products; gold and silver and different metals and required different treatment. However, gold tarnish, like silver, is a result of the alloys used. Gold and silver, on their own, are noble metals and do not tarnish.


Doug, can you tell me what those cleaning and polishing products (for gold) are?

Vancouver


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## m kielty (Dec 22, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by Roger_
> 
> May I add in gold jewelry here. I have a couple of watches that are gold-plated. Although gold doesn't tarnish to any extent, I've noticed that the finish gets a little dull in time. I've been very reluctant to polish much for fear of wearing off the gold plating, which I imagine is just a few microns thick. What would those of you knowledgeable about metal polishing recommend for gold plate?
> 
> Vancouver


It's not a good idea to polish gold plate.
Generally the plate is thin even on a quality item.
Most of the dullness is from handling.
If the watch is splash resistant a damp towel with a tiny bit of dish soap will clean it up.
When you do this you have to take into consideration the type of band.
Alligator does not respond well to water.

mk


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

Colloidal silver is used by the tin hat survivalist crowd to purify water. One of it's more vocal promoters now has a very blue skin tone. I'll try to post the link later. Ingesting small amounts of oxidized silver is not conisdered harmfull.


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## crazyquik (Jun 8, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by Kav_
> 
> Colloidal silver is used by the tin hat survivalist crowd to purify water. One of it's more vocal promoters now has a very blue skin tone. I'll try to post the link later. Ingesting small amounts of oxidized silver is not conisdered harmfull.


Stan Jones, ran for Senate as a Libertarian in Montana.










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Beware of showroom sales-fever reasoning: i.e., "for $20 . . ." Once you're home, how little you paid is forgotten; how good you look in it is all that matters.


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## Tomasso (Aug 17, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by crazyquik_
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> ...


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## rws (May 30, 2004)

No need for woad, I suppose, if you wish to imitate -- partially imitate -- a certain ancestral appearance.


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## Nantucket Red (Jan 26, 2006)

> quote:_Originally posted by Rich_
> 
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> 
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Silver is a natural antiseptic. This is why it's the choice for baby spoons, cups, rattles, etc., as well as flatware.

-------------------------------------------------
God gave us women; the Devil gave them corsets.
- French proverb


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

But forget silver bullets for werewolves Years ago a company actually marketed .38 spl cartridges with sterling bullets. Even PLAYBOY mentioned them in one issue. The price and lousy ballistics made other methodologies more practical.


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## DougNZ (Aug 31, 2005)

> quoteoug, can you tell me what those cleaning and polishing products (for gold) are?


Go into any jewellery store and ask for cleaning products. I used to stock Haggerty's products and they had cleaners for both gold and silver. I sold 150ml pots for NZ$15. I think a lot of these products, or similar, can be found in super markets now. However, I will add that I found the gold products to be less effective than the silver. If you are talking small jewellery items (rings, cufflinks, studs, etc, take them into the jeweller for a clean. They will check all the claws / joins / findings and clean them for about $3 an item. Many even have "free clean and check" specials!


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

Be carefull as some products are very agressive in their chemical or mechanical makeup and actually damage the object. Also some silvers were produced to have a deliberate french grey patina. Any object of vintage or exotic provenance should be exmined first.More antiques have lost value from removing original finishes or desired patinas. Ask me about the flintlock I was offered after the owner buffed away " this brown rust on it" to a cromelike luster. The double irony it was a contemporary high grade custom exmple with a plum brown finish


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## janne (Apr 9, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by Rich_
> An interesting question is whether traces of oxide on silver forks and spoons can be ingested and be harmful. Silver is after all a heavy metal. Does anyone know?


Silver oxide is not easily solved if pH is neutral or basic. In acidic conditions it goes into solution much easier. Silver smiths use weak sulphuric acid to remove the oxide after warming silver to make it malleable. 
I would avoid using silver spoons for acidic food stuff, but otherwise not worry.


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## a tailor (May 16, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by Kav_
> 
> But forget silver bullets for werewolves Years ago a company actually marketed .38 spl cartridges with sterling bullets. Even PLAYBOY mentioned them in one issue. The price and lousy ballistics made other methodologies more practical.


the lone ranger used them for years. he was a crack shot. or possibly just cracked.

Alex Di Pietropaolo


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## Aus_MD (Nov 2, 2005)

> quote: quote:
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Originally posted by illmaticnyc
> 
> ...


The tarnish is not silver oxide but silver sulphide, and salts of other metals in the silver alloy.

Some of the techniques described above, while removing the tarnish, may reduce the value of silver pieces (see the section on tarnish removal in this Wikipedia entry).

Aus_MD


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## Rich (Jul 10, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by Aus_MD_
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Where does the sulphur come from?


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## Aus_MD (Nov 2, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by Rich_
> 
> Where does the sulphur come from?


Predominantly pollution, industrial and vehicular (sulphur oxides, that also cause acid rain). Tarnishing of silver occurs more rapidly in cities. *DougNZ * may know that in Rotorua (a city in New Zealand with geothermal activity and high concentrations of hydrogen sulphide ('rotten-egg gas')) tarnshing occurs very rapidly.

Aus_MD


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## ChubbyTiger (Mar 10, 2005)

It takes quite a bit of silver to do you much harm. The LD50 in mice for collodial silver (dose at which 50% of the mice died) is about 100 mg/kg (in a 150 lb guy, that's 7 grams of silver - that's a lot). In humans, "[t]he estimated total dose required to induce argyria by ingestion is in the range of 1-30 g for soluble silver salts (Nordberg and Gerhardsson, 1988)." Argyria is that blue skin thing shown earlier in the thread.

And for my final trick, if you don't want to remove the silver from your utensils (with that cloth or silver polish), put the silverware into a pan lined with aluminium foil and add hot water, a hefty pinch of salt, and a bit of baking soda. You'll reduce the oxidized silver sulfide back to metallic silver.

CT

PS Why is this in the fashion section?


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## Rich (Jul 10, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by ChubbyTiger_
> 
> And for my final trick, if you don't want to remove the silver from your utensils (with that cloth or silver polish), put the silverware into a pan lined with aluminium foil and add hot water, a hefty pinch of salt, and a bit of baking soda. You'll reduce the oxidized silver sulfide back to metallic silver.


Ah, now isn't that the same principle as these special metal racks for silverware you put in your dishwasher? I've never dared use them. And to put the thread back on the fashion rails, what about ultrasound for cleaning silver jewelry?


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## DougNZ (Aug 31, 2005)

I pity those that live in geothermal cities like Rotorua. Most there get their silverware rhodium plated ... at huge cost.

Ultrasonics are great for shaking dirt out of items, and are particularly useful for jewellers who have just polished an item which ends up with rouge in all the difficult to clean places. However, ultrasonics are only good for cleaning and not for removing tarnish. Also, you must be careful about what goes in there: no organic materials, no ferrous metals, nothing hollow, and only gemstones that can take the shake. As a rule of thumb, no green stones in the ultrasonic, but I qualify that by saying that some are okay, and many other types and colours of gemstone are not!

I was interested to read the Wikipedia entry and agree that silver foam is the best material for the home cleaner.


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## AlanC (Oct 28, 2003)

I've used a on sterling items like cufflinks. I prefer to leave some tarnish, though, in the nooks and crannies.


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## m kielty (Dec 22, 2005)

> quote:_Originally posted by AlanC_
> 
> I've used a on sterling items like cufflinks. I prefer to leave some tarnish, though, in the nooks and crannies.


 A Sunhine Cloth is the best for doing silver or gold.
I've tried everything.
The Sunshine Cloth comes out on top.
Buy a dozen.
You'll want to give them to friends.

mk


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## erdavis (Sep 19, 2004)

m kielty said:


> A Sunhine Cloth is the best for doing silver or gold.
> I've tried everything.
> The Sunshine Cloth comes out on top.
> Buy a dozen.
> You'll want to give them to friends.


Just bought some off of Ebay and they work really well. I think their product is simple, safe and works very nicely without any mess.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

I agree with Doug, Haggerty's is great. Polishing silver is near and dear to my heart, as my bagpipes have a large amount of hand chastened, UK hallmarked silver on them. To prevent tarnish, I add a coat of a microcrystalline wax, both to the silver and the wood. Probably not a good idea for eating utensils.

Of course, one can always take anything to a jeweler's for lathe buffing.


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