Hi All - I have a question on the 10K & 14K solutions for testing
Gold. When you make the mark on the 10K and it stays for quite some
time - but eventually fades, does that mean it’s absolutely not gold,
or could it be less than 10K? I don’t mean to get off our path but,
I recently bought an antique miniature sword or knife from the 50’s
(3 1/2" long) for a Christmas gift for my brother. It was pitch
black and until I put on my jewelers glasses, I didn’t notice it had
a horses head, (or dog?) on the end; two types of stones (looks like
an opal) riveted on the sides; and after I decided to rub it very
hard, found it to have a shiny gold underneath! I tried a piece of
brass with my 10K solution and it does the same sort of thing - stays
for awhile and fades eventually. It sure does look like gold to me -
very pitted. Has anyone heard of toys or collectibles made with gold
like that? Thanks …Donna (still in the 80’s in East Texas!)