Bringing up Fine Silver from Sterling sheet

Jewelry Discussion
1

I would like to read about the process of raising fine silver from
sterling. Can anyone recommend a book or article on the subject?

2

I can’t tell you much about raising fine silver from sterling, but
you can bring copper (copper/cupric oxide?) to the surface by heating
gently with the bushy flame until the object looks slightly golden.
Pickle the object to remove the copper, leaving a skin of silver
alloy with a higher silver percentage than the original. Lightly
brass-brush, rinse and repeat as desired.

Refer to this process as "depletion gilding " in front of a bunch of
pros, sit back, and listen to the ensuing argument.

-pm

3

The best way to bring the fine silver the surface is to mark the
silver with a marky pen. Heat the metal with a torch and when the
marky burns off take the heat off the metal. Let metal cool than put
in pickle, rinse and then do the same at least 9 - 10 times. We do
this so that we can enamel on sterling. It works real well.

4

Sue, To bring up fine silver from sterling sheet… Heat the sheet
gently as you would to anneal it. Quench it in water. Then pickle it.
Repeat this several times … ie heat, quench and pickle, heat,
quench and pickle.

What you are actually doing turning the copper into copper oxide by
heating the sterling silver. The pickling removes the copper oxide
and leaves fine silver behind. As you repeat the process, more copper
oxide is removed and the fine silver at the surface becomes purer. You
can tell the process is working because the surface of the silver
begins to turn white.

Do not use a brass brush after pickling as this will remove the thin
layer of fine silver.

Regards
Milt Fischbein
Calgary Alberta

1 Like
5 
    The best way to bring the fine silver the surface is to mark
the silver with a marky pen. Heat the metal with a torch and when
the marky burns off take the heat off the metal. Let metal cool
than put in pickle, rinse and then do the same at least 9 - 10
times. We do this so that we can enamel on sterling. It works real
well.

Regarding the above answer to bringing up fine silver from
Sterling, Are you using any particular type of flux??

Grace

6

thank you for reminding me NOT to use the brass brush :):grin: