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Author	Topic: Buffing silver
hannahl Posts: 11 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 05-12-2004 02:46 PM Does anyone have an opinion about buffing silver faltware? Is it a bad thing to do--removing a patina or even too much silver as can happen by power sanding wood? I have a service of Towle Craftsman that with time has gotten quite a few scratches--more than patina I suspect--but no deep abrasions--washed by hand. I imaging that with a plain pattern like that there would be less danger of doing harm in the way of "mushing" decorative detail. Is this correct? or should I just keep polishing with Simichrome? IP: Logged
Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 Registered: Apr 93	posted 05-12-2004 03:49 PM Brent started a thread called value of patina?" (click here) which might be of interest. IP: Logged
Kimo Posts: 1627 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 05-12-2004 04:19 PM I'm against that kind of abuse of good silver, but for something plentiful and inexpensive and currently produced like Towle Craftsman, and where there is really no detail to lose because it is so simple in shape, and where it has already been abused to the point of having only marginal value above melt by being all scratched up then I see no problem with some modest mechanical buffing to make it presentable and save it from being melted down. IP: Logged
hannahl Posts: 11 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 05-12-2004 09:07 PM thank you both--I've read the patina link, Scott--corroborates my guesses about the ups and downs of radical action. and Kimo, I'm relieved to know I won't have to feel guilty if I do take the step--think I'll hold off though for several reasons--1) the expense 2) it occurs that as soon as a new mirror like finish is restored, the wear will start again immediately--some pieces have some marks as soon as they're out of the factory packaging. 3) the wear is not that bad I think I may be feeling too fussy. They've really only gotten occasional use and I never even noticed until recently, (I was never ashamed to put them on the table) I almost turned up my nose at a good buy on a luncheon knife because it looked too scratched up. i did buy it though and found to my shock that it wasn't really any worse than my own. I polished it and it looked a whole lot better immediately. also noticed that there are plenty of similar scratches on a set of 1810 (International) teaspoons I have as well as some five o'clocks and demis in the Mothers pattern and they don't look bad at all--several pieces of those and my Craftsman look pretty good with application of some Simichrome. That will be my first step, when I find time and energy to apply some elbow grease and polish--I haven't done very much polishing for some time. The most wear shows on the knife handles, though and I wondered why that should be. Does it have to do with their being hollow? Would a jewelry polishing cloth help? IP: Logged
Kimo Posts: 1627 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 05-13-2004 11:13 AM If they are only microscratches, then I would leave them alone, use your regular silver polish or a jeweler's cloth to touch them up from time to time and over time they will develop into a pleasing patina. Mirror finishes - even on something as hard as stainless - are tough to maintain for very long anyway. As for why the knife handles seem to be getting more than their share, does anyone at your table wear rings, especially big ones? When using a knife, most people grip it with the handle laying along the base of their fingers where rings are worn while most people grip forks and spoons further up towards the ends of their fingers where rings are not worn (except for small children of course who tend to tightly grip everything along the base of their fingers). Metal rings rubbing against sterling silver, especially smooth silver where every imperfection can be easily seen, is not a good thing. IP: Logged
hannahl Posts: 11 Registered: Mar 2003	posted 05-13-2004 01:42 PM Rings are a good point--but in our family, we don't wear them much except for small wedding bands and we're all right handed--of course some occasional guests may have worn more jewelry but the wear is pretty uniform. Another thing that occurred to me is that a knife is more often rested against a plate during use--but again, what I observe is pretty uniform and not concentrated on one side or one place--although I think there may be more wear on the edges than with other pieces. At any rate, my posishing efforts are helpful, and as you suggest, should develop in time into something pleasing. I'm also beginning to consider signs of normal wear a plus rather than a liability--of course if my children decide they don't want these it may raise another issue but that won't be my porblem. ps--I recently bought a brand new knife in the factory packaging and that one has been used at most twice--now I can't differentiate it from the others. IP: Logged

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