OT: Polishing 'silver' silverware, Firkin? Anyone?

Very true Dan, The mid way is best, I do clean some of my silver. ;) Personaly Id rather underpolish than overpolish though. :D

Munk, I notice you mum said dont polish to much ! ;)

I guess keep what you like , polish away what you dont. :D

cheers,
Spiral
 
Just adding my .0002 cents, though it seems everything is well covered, but Im bored and wanna post anyways. Ive always been told to go ahead and polish silver, as even if you dont like it shiny, it can tarnish so fast that you get the black back fast enough. Brass and copper, were different animals, as while they do turn color relatively fast, the deep patina they get over time takes much much longer to accumulate. Though, the biggest warning I ever got was to stay away from brasso and silvo. The stuff leaves a powdery film that screws up patina development. Instead of normal patina growth, you get a wierd powdery blotchy look. Its also something alot of antique dealers can spot right away. So to sum it all up, dont use brasso or silvo. :p
 
If these are plated, and you see green-blue, especially rough or fluffy stuff (grunge?) , take care of it!

That sounds like oxidation/corrosion of the underlying copper that is plated on before the silver is plated on. Likely there is a small area where the silver is completly gone, exposing the copper. You don't want the copper oxidizing more, expanding to areas that are underneath the remaining silver plating.

I would think that something like edible wax or mineral oil should be applied after cleaning the area to prevent the exposed copper from continuing to oxidize.

Hopefully, if I'm wrong the experts will correct me.
 
gunge will be removed. Fluffy stuff gone- as I said previously. I have a pie server that has no gunge but does have highlights of color- looking like case colored blueing on a revolver. IT is patina in my modest opinion.


munk
 
Hate to say it, my friend....the bluing is tarnish. It has no patina value. It just makes it look bad.

Probably from using it in a meringue, or lemon creme, or banana cream pie where eggs are present....who knows.

I guess i could just take some pictures of my tarnished vs. patined pieces and post 'em here.
 
:cool: Munk-you probably don't want to use these clothes for silverware, but a feller in Florida sells some clothes he makes that are excellent for removing rust & etc. from knifeblades, tools, & that sort of thing. I have used them on a lot of knives I have been cleaning up. His name is:
Royce J. Burt
5004 Booth Road West
Plant City, Florida 33565
I believe his e-mail is still:
RJBurt@TECOEnergy.com
This cloth also worked good cleaning up & polishing the base-pin in a single-action revolver that badly needed some TLC.
 
I really need three clothes, DKP, one for silver, one for poliishing the finish of firearms, and one for hard work such as you state. I had one of those gray black silicon treating cloths for years for firearms....but..it wore out.


Hey- do any of you forumites realize DKP is well known and respected other places?

Family picnics, keggers, line ups.......



munk
 
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