Posts: 1203
Registered: Feb 2005

posted 07-06-2007 07:30 PM            

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Hello All!

Query? I have some sterling handled flatware items that have come loose. I guess the cement has eroded, & the blades have separated from the handles. Is there any way to repair these items short of taking them to a silver repair shop?

They are not valuable except to me, and mostly since I use them all the time. Examples are a pie server & butter knife.

Can I just whip up a small batch of cement & pour it in empty space? I know that may sound silly but makes sense to me.....just can it be done at home? I don't want to wreck them.

Also they would be cheap enough to replace but I want to keep these as they were one of my first pieces.

Thanks for listening and for any help you may offer.

Enjoy the Day!
Stay Safe!
Jersey

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Posts: 850
Registered: Jun 2004

posted 07-06-2007 10:19 PM            

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There is probably no reason not to do this at home! Just make sure that when the cement sets up the blades are in the right orientation. It can be hard to "pour" in something that flows like molases, a thin stick can help to feed it in.
Good luck!

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posted 07-07-2007 09:09 AM            

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Another tip is to place the handles in a box of sand so that you would be able to pour the cement in and still hold the handles upright. By placing the handles in 2-3 inches of sand, it stablizes them enough to be able to work with them and hold them in a stable position. You can re-insert the implements once the cement starts to set.

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Registered: Aug 2005

posted 07-07-2007 10:08 AM            

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The first question I'd ask is, is it really cement? Older pieces tend to have the blades set in pitch, which is an easier problem to solve. If it's black (pitch), you can heat a pot of water, and immerse the handles in it, testing regularly for the pitch to soften. Once it has, you can reposition the blades and then hold or clamp them in place until it sets back up.

If it is cement, I probably wouldn't use cement to repair them - certainly not mason's cement, which is usually rather coarse and likely would be difficult to remove if a drop of it set on the outside. Something like a dentist's mold-making compound might be better. Personally I would probably use an adhesive to bind the blade tang to the existing handle filling and stabilize the original filling. Epoxy is strong, but insoluble once set (eliminating the possibility of cleaning up drips) and also would have to be run into the hole along a straw. Something like Duco Cement - household cement, but the adhesive sort not the mason's sort - would be strong, temperature stable, and insoluble in water, but it is soluble in, I believe, acetone (for clean-ups), and since it comes in a tube is fairly easy to inject. This is what many archaeologists in the US use for pottery mending, so you can trust it.

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posted 07-08-2007 03:49 AM            

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The term I have encountered for this product is: umbrella handle cement.

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Registered: Feb 2005

posted 07-09-2007 09:29 AM            

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Thank you!

Agleopar, carlaz, FWG & Dale. What wonderful & helpful responses.

Thank you all for your time.
Enjoy the day!
Jersey

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