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Author Topic:   Current silver conservation trends
FredZ

Posts: 1070
Registered: Jun 99

iconnumber posted 03-23-2005 06:46 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for FredZ     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have begun this post to encourage discussion on the current wisdom concerning silver conservation and care.

All encouraged to input what they know and have found.

Do's and Don't's might be a good start.

Fred

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Benji

Posts: 11
Registered: Feb 2005

iconnumber posted 03-26-2005 01:12 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Benji     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Do use your silver. Do not put it in the dishwasher. Use a good cream polish, like Wright's, never a harsh abrasive such as Tarnex. Always be sure to dry your silver after washing, leaving silver to air dry will damage it, and it leaves water spots, too! Never leave salt in anything silver, it will corrode it. Also never leave anything with salt in the same case as silver as it gets in the air and will ruin pieces around it.

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IJP

Posts: 326
Registered: Oct 2004

iconnumber posted 03-26-2005 04:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for IJP     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Silver will need to be polished occasionally. This should be done with a soft cotton cloth and a good polish. Use very little polish since wiping off excess polish can make the job difficult.

Chemicals in the air cause silver to tarnish. Therefore, the best way to keep it clean is to keep it in an airtight environment. Storing silver in a chest lined in tarnish preventive fabric or airtight plastic bags are both effective ways to retard the formation of tarnish. Plastic cling wrap should not be used because it may adhere to a piece permanently. Paper strips which are made to absorb tarnish causing chemicals can be used in drawers or in display cabinets where silver is kept. Treated gloves are available and are a good way to keep silver clean that is on display in an open area. These gloves work best on silver that is not badly tarnished.

Salt and sulfur can cause tarnish, corrosion or pitting. Pieces used to serve eggs, mayonnaise, salty foods and salad dressings should be washed as soon as possible. Rubber also contains sulfur, so never bundle your pieces with rubber bands or use rubber gloves when handling them.

Many older pieces of silver had bowls of spoons or tines of forks gold plated. This not only looks pretty but serves a purpose as well. Gold is less susceptible to acid damage than silver.

Dishwashers will often turn silver an odd color and will remove oxidation from the pattern. The heat may also loosen knife blades. However, you should use and enjoy your silver and if that means using the dishwasher, do it! The same applies to silver dips and other "miracle" cleaners. Items with mother-of-pearl, bone or ivory handles should never go in the dishwasher.

There is very little you can do to silver that cannot be remedied by a good silversmith. Silversmiths can buff out scratches, reoxidize, straighten tines, reshape the bowls of spoons, and can even replace knife blades. Guard against silver going into the disposal; this can be fatal.

Rare, old pieces should never be put in the dishwasher or mechanically buffed. A silver expert should be consulted before any restoration is undertaken.


-From Silver Flatware by Helen Cox

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Scott Martin
Forum Master

Posts: 11520
Registered: Apr 93

iconnumber posted 03-26-2005 06:43 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Scott Martin     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The subjects of
  • Cleaning
  • Polishing
  • Tarnishing
  • Corrosion
  • Patina
  • Conservator cleaning
  • Etc., etc., etc.
have been a part of the forum discussions for years. It keeps coming up because there is a lot of folklore and old wives tales floating around.

In short:

  • Sulfur causes silver to tarnish (Sulfur is in the air, eggs, etc.).
  • Certain nitric based chemicals like table salt or formulations containing nitric acid will dissolve silver and cause pitting.

If your silver doesn't come in contact with the above then you are most likely dealing with dirt or some other contaminant. Many of the contaminants can be washed (use mild soap and water) away without abrasives (polish). Things like clear spay or lacquer will require something specific for removing (dissolving) those products.

Since polishing removes silver, I say only polish when absolutely necessary. My personal rule is polish once and wash often.

There is much folklore and old wives tales when it come to care and handling of silver. Ask ten experts and you will most likely get ten different answers. Statements like "never put your silver in the dishwasher" or "its ok to use the dishwasher to clean your silver" are both true when all the caveats are really understood.

Review the following discussions and do your best to extract what makes sense to you. Then test your approach to ensure it is sound & that it produces the results you desire. If you can properly care for your silver it will stand the test of time and be a joy for generations to come.

What follows is not in any particular order. Try using the SSF search function to find other similar and related topics.

  1. Silver Care (Polishing/Cleaning)
  2. Victorian Repousse? How to clean?
  3. Cleaning sterling vs. silverplate?
  4. Exhibitions - cleaning & polishing
  5. silver polishing
  6. Kind of thin tape/laquer on silver-how to remove?
  7. BrainWave ~~ Lacquer
  8. Pitted surface on bread tray
  9. When museums do bad things
  10. siam silver
  11. using my new old silver
  12. Does silver corrode?
  13. Small French cup - part 2
  14. Tea Tongs Maker?
  15. Rookie needs help

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ahwt

Posts: 2334
Registered: Mar 2003

iconnumber posted 03-27-2005 07:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for ahwt     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
One good recommendation is to carefully dry silver after use. Silver plated knife blades can be cleaned, but any water left on the blades can start rusting of the underneath metal. Once this happens the silver plate will start to deteriorate.
Modern stainless steel blades are not that resistant to some foods and pitting can occur if not cleaned soon after use.
Stacking forks on top of other silver allows the tines to come in contact with bowls of spoons or the like and denting can occur. This form of damage is very difficult to remove.

[This message has been edited by ahwt (edited 03-28-2005).]

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