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 cleaning silver.. getting rid of floral clay..HELP!
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| Author | Topic: cleaning silver.. getting rid of floral clay..HELP! |
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Marc Posts: 414 |
posted 10-12-2005 07:12 PM
  
[01-2345] Hi all, I purchased a sterling silver vase with lots of leftover green floral clay on the inside and on the rim. I have been picking it off with my fingernails, and I did try acetone (fingernail polish remover), but it does not work.. My silversmith wants to buff it off, but it will make the surface look new, and I don't want that. Additionally, some of the solid green gook has fallen to, or been placed at the inside bottom and it sits there 15" away and mocks me. How do I get this green crap off? please help. Thanks so much. Respectfully, Marc IP: Logged |
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FredZ Posts: 1070 |
posted 10-12-2005 08:14 PM
I suspect the clay can be softened with a product like "Goo-Gone" or "Desolvit". These productsaremove adhesive like products from the surface and will not damage the silver. I suggest soaking it for an hour or so. The product is consumer and environmentally friendly. I believe the active ingredient is limonene a derivative of citrus peel. Let us know if this works. Fred IP: Logged |
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sazikov2000 Posts: 254 |
posted 10-12-2005 08:33 PM
There are two ways which always work:
Hope that helps. Sazikov 2000 IP: Logged |
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Marc Posts: 414 |
posted 10-14-2005 12:44 AM
Hi again and thanks. I asked for 'disolvit' and 'googone'and was directed to and used a product called "goofoff". I think all the high powered solvents have the same thing in them,.. Toluene and zylene. It did not disolve the clay, but did loosen the adhesives holding it on to the silver surface. Pretty quickly, I might add. Less then 10 minutes. Big caution.. Use outside, as the product will ignite and is much more flamable than the acetone in fingernail polish remover. The vase is fine and polished up nicely. Thanks again for the recomendations. Marc IP: Logged |
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Dale Posts: 2132 |
posted 10-14-2005 02:23 AM
When faced with this messy substance, sometimes it is on the bottom of things in earthquake zones to hold them on shelves, I find gentle heating will dry out the clay and make it crumble. Takes a few days of direct sun, and keep scrapping over the outer protions. Totally messy thing to deal with, but that is silver collecting. IP: Logged |
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FredZ Posts: 1070 |
posted 10-14-2005 10:27 AM
Goof-off is different from the products I suggested. Goof-off does contains the two compounds you sited as the active ingredient. Sounds like others have good suggestions. Fred IP: Logged |
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swarter Moderator Posts: 2920 |
posted 10-14-2005 11:09 AM
quote: Another reason to use in a well ventilated area is that toluene and xylene are toxic and may also be carcinogenic. Use nitrile gloves (the blue ones used by auto mechanics) to protect the skin and not latex gloves which will not protect against solvents like these that can be absorbed through the skin. Limonene, if it works, should be safe. IP: Logged |
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Marc Posts: 414 |
posted 10-15-2005 02:00 AM
Hi and thanks again,.. If this were just a plain vase, for sale, I would have had no problem turning it over to my silversmith with the instructions, to "make it new", but as this 16" La Pierre mfg. co. vase is sterling and treated copper (or "Byzentine Bronze" as it says on the bottom) and it destined for my collection (read retirement fund), I thought I would be careful how I removed the clay residue.. Respectfully, Marc Cutcher IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 11-05-2009 04:08 PM
Silver dips usually give you nasty results - they clean off everything. What you want is some blackening in the crevices to give you the three dimensional look that nicely aged silver has - this is called its patina and it is highly desireable and takes a great many years to develop. Some new manufacturers add this to their products to make them look better. The other reason, and perhaps more important one, is that most silver dips contain a substance called thiourea. This is a known cancer causing chemical. If you feel you really must use a dip and do not care about the way it will eliminate the patina then please be sure to read the ingredients and make sure you find one that has no thiourea in it. IP: Logged |
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