Chalk and tarnish

Jewelry Discussion
1

In the April/May issue of Threads (a sewing magazine), a reader
suggests storing silver with a piece of tailor’s chalk to prevent
tarnish. Have you ever heard of this?

I don’t know the composition of tailor’s chalk, but it is not the
same as blackboard chalk. It has a waxy feel and is strong enough
to shape into thin pieces. The ones in the illustration look like
oversized guitar picks.

Janet

2

Janet,

I don’t know about tailor’s chalk, but I’ve been wondering about
chalk and tarnish as well. I remember finding a piece of blackboard
chalk in one of my grandmother’s jewelery boxes and wonder if she put
it there to keep the silver from tarnishing. I’ll definitely be
awaiting the answer from the more learned members of Orchid.

Debra Weller
Weller’s Jewelry
Mesa, AZ

3

it acts as a desiccant and keeps moisture from oxidizing the piece

4 
         I don't know about tailor's chalk, but I've been
wondering about chalk and tarnish as well. I remember finding a
piece of blackboard chalk in one of my grandmother's jewelery boxes
and wonder if she put it there to keep the silver from tarnishing.

Nope, She kept the chalk to mark hems that were to be sewn or taken
up, pleats to be marked and tucks, how much to take a suit or dress
up. My grandmother had a like piece of chalk in her “box” in the
sewing machine.

Ray

5 
   wondering about chalk and tarnish as well. I remember finding a
piece of blackboard chalk in one of my grandmother's jewelery
boxes and wonder if she put it there to keep the silver from
tarnishing.

G’day; The ‘chalk’ used by dressmakers is not chalk, calcium
carbonate, but is talc, which is also soapstone.

It certainly won’t stop sterling from tarnishing, and I doubt
whether calcium carbonate will either

Blackboard chalk is often a mix of calcium carbonate powder bound
with slaked lime; calcium hydroxide, or sometimes calcium sulphate.

Cheers for now,
John Burgess;
@John_Burgess2 of Mapua, Nelson NZ