Anti tarnish ideas

Jewelry Discussion
21

I have a roll of Argentium 21 gauge half-round wire that has turned
black in patches. It looks like a mold that is spreading.

The coil is tightly wound several layers thick on a large plastic
spool, and the blackened area includes the underneath layers.

It is very hard to get rid of. Dipping it in Goddard’s silver dip
doesn’t do much, so I used 3M microfine (1500?) to sand it down.

Not sure how to get the original shine back on the wire, but that is
another problem.

Anyone know what is happening?
James in Palm Desert

22

NEVER use silver dips on finished pieces. Here’s why:

Jeff Herman

23

When I moved from Lawton, OK to Midlothian, TX 15 yrs ago I couldn’t
understand why my silver tarnished so fast. A customer’s young boy
said sulfur. There are anti tarnish jewelry cases out now, some by
Lori Greiner of Shark Tank & QVC. I’m thinking after wearing my
jewelry, it would be best to polish off with polishing cloth before
storing in one of these cases. When my sales are at a certain level
Iinclude one of Rio’s Sunshine polishing cloths. Sometimes I just
include one anyway, doesn’t matter what the sale was. I live in the
cement capitol of TX. I don’t know if this has anything to do with
it, but thereis sulfur in high concentration in my soil. A plumber I
used several yrs ago said every time they cut into pipe they see this
sulfur. Any suggestions appreciated.

Sharon Perdasofpy

24

Comments made on our Facebook page:

NEVER use silver dips on finished pieces. Here's why:
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep80r6

…

Frank Finley: yikes

…

Mark Anderson: I never knew, always wondered about this product
though

…

Leslie Ligon: I ever oh, but I didn’t know this much!

…

Barbara Mullally: What production you recommend?

…

Judi Stefek-Bondurant: I have never used any of those products and
now I never will! Scary stuff!

…

Louise Pass: How do they feel about calcium carbonate and aluminium
cleaning?

…

Jo Agopovich: I use Tarn-x often, but with care, I take a SMALL
amount on a ear swab and apply only to the areas I want cleaned.
Followed with rinsing in clean water. I never just drop an entire
piece in a bowl of the stuff. Anyway,it’s still not as dangerous as
some of the methods we have used in our craft. When I first started
out I had an asbestos soldering pad…

…

Cathy Sutton: Wow. This is how rumours get started. Here is the real
msds http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep80ra I use this product all
the time. If you follow the package directions it is great. Tarn-x
comes in about an 8oz bottle so you definitely don’t dip seizable
object IN it. Wipe and then rinse. You don’t need to wear a mask
while using it. It’s safe on sterling and also copper. (That msds is
created by someone to make the product look bad. I bet if you trace
it back it will lead to a competitor. I have no attachment to tarn-x
co. Or the parent company, only I use this stuff and love it.)

…

Linda Connelly: Thanks for this

…

Chrissi Matusevics: Yikes !! better to pop it in the pickle pot
again!!

…

Sandra Ferhad Downright: scary!

…

Richinda Brower: I’ve ruined a nice silver piece with this stuff

…

Vicki Schalin: I didn’t know it was that bad, have used similar
products for many years, but almost always finishes with polishing
all the dipped jewellery in a tumbler afterwards with steel shots.
Any thoughts on this?

…

Gia Belloni: What is a better product to use - because most of the
silver dips/cleaners are mentioned at the end of the article?

…

Ally Gill: I don’t use such products. But, can you recommend some
method that is better/safer/less destructive? I have always believed
that anything (polish, or whatever) that removes tarnish actually
removes silver molecules, too, so gradually erodes the piece. Thanks
for the info!

…

Margaret Liu: oh dear.

…

Dolores Lago: What about Wright’s Silver Cream?

…

Melodie Moshure: Salt is corrosive…I know that!

…

Melodie Moshure: -er polish has been our family tradition for
generations.

…

Melodie Moshure: Glad to see this…hand polishing with Wrights Silv

…

Shelby Raymond: How about the process of lining the bottom of a pan
with tinfoil and adding salt & hot water? Does that hurt the silver?

…

Mike Sabo: If one googles Jeffry Herman he has an extensive piece on
the care of silver. I cannot remember if I saw it on the
Ganoksin-Orchid site or where it was posted.

He is a good one to pay attention to, renowned for restoration
skills.

25

For PROPER silver care, just visit my Silver Care Guide
Silver polishing, silver cleaning, and silver storage And keep that page in your
“favorites.”

Information from that page comes from 30 years of experience, not
hearsay or YouTube videos.

Jeff Herman

26

You would not happen to have the roll hanging over an uncovered
pickle pot would you - been there done that and it most certainly
will turn any of the silver alloys black - including Argentium.

27

You would not happen to have the roll hanging over an uncovered
pickle pot would you - been there done that and it most certainly
will turn any of the silver alloys black - including Argentium.

28

Hello James

My name is Clare Felgate and I work for Argentium International
Limited. I have read your post regarding the 21G half-round wire that
has formed black patches throughout the spool. As this black
discolouration is not characteristic of Argentium silver, please may
I recommend for you to return the wire to the suppliers and ask for
the material to be exchanged.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you need any assistance.

With best wishes
Clare

29 
NEVER use silver dips on finished pieces. Here's why:
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep80r6

I have this conversation with customers a lot. Is it OK to put a
link to this page on my website or refer customers to it? Thanks.
Rob

30

Hello Rob,

These chemical dips should not be available to the public. By all
means, feel free to post a link to that page.

Have a great weekend everyone,

Jeff Herman

31 
(That msds is created by someone to make the product look bad. I
bet if you trace it back it will lead to a competitor.

It actually leads to the National Institute of Health branch of the
US Department of Health and Human Services, probably not a
competitor :slight_smile: However, both links are good, they’re just for
different products. The site has MSDS info for six different Tarn-X
products. All the NIH-referenced MSDS’s can be found here:
http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/ep80rl

Al Balmer

32

It’s the same MSDS that’s on the Jelmar site, makers of Tarn-X.

Jeff Herman

33

Hi

That is why I use a JCR ionic cleaner. Check it out. It is not cheap
to buy but very cheap to run.

Cleans fast and easily. The solution is about the same ph as tooth
paste and not poisonous.

HOJ has them but they can be bought internationally from Australia.

Also it is safe to use on all gems even pearls and solid opals. In
fact I think it is the only cleaning system safe for solid opals.

I have no connexion to this company. Just been using one for years,
got it from HOJ.

Richard.

34

I’m one of the group who uses Tarn-X regularly and loves it. I work
in brass, copper, and nickel-silver. Sometimes I use Tarn-X to clean
my personal silver jewelry.

As has been mentioned, the trick is to leave the jewelry piece in
the Tarn-X for only 1-2 seconds, remove, rinse well, and dry. To
restore a shiny finish, rub the dried piece with a silver-polishing
cloth. Over time, the antiquing will be slowly removed. But I can
replace that, if I want to. I was horrified to see that someone left
a silver piece in Tarn-X for 20 seconds. Of course that would do
damage.

A handy way to clean one’s jewelry in Tarn-X is to get a Tupperware
pickle-lifter, which has an internal platform which can be pulled up
and down. I pour in about half an inch of Tarn-X, agitate slightly
while the jewelry is in there, pull up to drain briefly, then rinse
in water. I use the same batch of Tarn-X over and over. Using the
pickle-lifter means I can also clean more sizeable pieces quickly. In
addition I hardly need to touch the Tarn-X at all. I’ve done this
(about once a day) for around 30 years and cannot see that I have
been hurt by it. But I have saved a lot of time and effort compared
to using, say, Brasso, which works very well but is messy.

To each their own!
Judy Bjorkman

35 
I'm one of the group who uses Tarn-X regularly and loves it. I
work in brass, copper, and nickel-silver. Sometimes I use Tarn-X to
clean my personal silver jewelry.

I too use a similar (more industrial) product.

But I’m often using it when I’m repairing silver pieces. I’ve found
that solder flows better on a piece that has no antiquing.

I then replace the antiquing (after soldering, pickling and
polishing) and repolish to restore the original look.

Someone on here said that these products shouldn’t be available to
the public. I’m glad they are. Restoring the finish of silver
jewelry, etc. that has been damaged either by wear or the use if
this product (or toothpaste) is a part of my business.

I alloy my silver to .985 (with copper) and this alleviates much of
the tarnishing issues.

Of course some people believe that the fact that silver tarnishes as
it does it part of its beauty.

Paf Dvorak

36

Judy,

That 20 seconds was my doing to prove a point about the damage
Tarn-X can do over time. The I have on my site is
primarily for silver collectors and dealers. But I have also seen
jewelers doing a quick dip for their customers. Those customers walk
away unaware that their silver will tarnish more quickly with an even
uglier color. If you have a complicated piece and dip it in Tarn-X,
are you going to go back and polish those areas? Do you think the
general public will? They won’t, and I’ve seen almost 30 years of the
results. And Brasso is for BRASS. Don’t think you’re doing yourself a
favor by using such an abrasive product on silver. Once again, you’ll
get the best on the Web regarding what silver polishes
are the least and most abrasive by visiting my Silver Polish
Abrasion Ratings at

There’s really no need to constantly revisit this subject when I’ve
spent countless hours researching the subject. If anyone would like
to come to my workshop and prove what I’m saying is bogus, call me at
401/461-6840. I’ll make time for you.

Remember that restoration, conservation, and preservation is what I
do for a living.

Jeff Herman

37

Hi Jeffrey,

I’m late to the party on this thread, so apologies if this has come
up, but I have two questions.

(A) So tarnish is mostly sulphides. What about some sort of hydrogen
atmosphere soak, or something else to reduce the sulphides? Do it
right, and your tarnish comes back as silver metal. Yeah, it’d cook
the patinas, but that’s pretty much a given, no matter what you do,
and they’re easy to put back. Seems like someone whose chemistry is
better than mine might be able to cook up some sort of a soaking
bath using an plating rectifier that might do the job. My first
inclination is an H2 furnace, but I can see how some people might,
just perhaps, have an issue with a kiln full of hot hydrogen. A
"de-tarnishing" bath sounds ever so much safer.

(B) So when it comes down to polishing for us, in the trade, what
about just using rouge of one sort or another? That’s what it was
polished with originally. Why not do it again?

© and a suggestion, now that I think of it: charcoal. I’ve done a
lot of research into historical methods, and one of the ways they
polished stuff without rouge was to take VERY finely ground
powdered charcoal, and rub it on with a soft rag. I’ve tried it
using signmaker’s charcoal powder, and it works surprisingly well.
Not as good as rouge, but you’d be surprised what a nice bright
finish it leaves behind. It’s messy as hell, but chemically pretty
innocuous. It’s a sort of bright satin-ish finish. Very finely
abrasive, roughly on par with ZAM, more-or-less.

Keeping in mind that this is entirely from our perspective: in the
trade, with real polishing gear, not the average householder’s point
of view.

(I can’t see much future in selling hydrogen fired “silver
de-tarnishing ovens” to the general populace really, although I’m
sure many lawyers would like me to try.)

Regards,
Brian

38

Richard who is HOJ? How do we contact them? You got my attention
when you wrote safe on all gems, pearls, solid opals.

Sharon Perdasofpy

39

Brian, polishing with fine charcoal makes sense. When reading
historical fiction involving Vikings and Saxons with their shields
and swords and such. Those guys seem to be perpetually polishing
their weapons and helmets by rubbing it with sand. While reading I
have often wondered what the would havepolished jewelry with in
those days? Probably very fine charcoal! Thanks! Mark

40

Hi there seems to be confusion about removing tarnish/cleaning and
polishing silver.

Once again, you’ll get the best on the Web regarding what
silver polishes are the least and most abrasive by visiting my Silver
Polish Abrasion Ratings Jeffrey Herman

Polishing removes scratches etc, cleaning removes tarnish.

Except that the best method for removing tarnish, that is cleaning
jewellery both gold and silver is not there.

It is the JCR jewellery cleaning system.

To view the best way to clean jewellery that is also safe for all
natural gemstones visit JCR Jewellery Cleaning Systems @

The JCR system is totally non abrasive.

I have used this system for years, bought mine from HOJ Aust, but
now is shipped world wide. The JCR is superior to every other method.

It can also be used to clean flatware and hollow ware.

So look up JCR, you will be amazed and you can broaden your range of
skills and services and so increase profit for very little effort.
You will clean your shop stock faster and better than any other
system. You will also be able to clean hollow ware and flat ware in
your shop no more sending it out to specialists. The system is also
portable so you could out service.

I have been a professional silversmith for 25 years and without a
doubt this is the best cleaning system there is.

I am just a satisfied customer of JCR and receive no benefit from
posting about this product.

Richard