posted 03-23-2005 06:46 PM            

All encouraged to input what they know and have found.

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

posted 03-26-2005 04:34 PM            

quote:

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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.

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-From Silver Flatware by Helen Cox

posted 03-26-2005 06:43 PM            

• Cleaning
  
• Polishing
  
• Tarnishing
  
• Corrosion
  
• Patina
  
• Conservator cleaning
  
• Etc., etc., etc.

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.

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