How to Keep Silver from Tarnishing, by Glenn Thompson,
Davis K Products, May 3rd, 2010
You can easily keep silver from Tarnishing by using a Silver
“Anti-Tarnish”. This process is simple and does not require a
rectifier: It involves the usual cleaning, and a mild activation
step (a 5% sulfuric dip), to remove the polishing compounds and
cleaning soaps, a thorough rinse, and an immersion of 1 to 2 minutes
into the Anti-Tarnish at a temperature of about 50 C. (this time and
temp is average for most products I have seen, some require longer
immersion)
Anti-Tarnishes are great for getting your product to market, and
keeping it in showroom condition until it is purchased. (6 months to
one year is a reasonable expectation if the parts are not handled)
Note that after purchase, constant handling (like wearing and
removing a ring often) will remove the thin protective surface in a
relatively short time.
If you need a permanent solution, you would need an electro-phoretic
lacquer (a clear “varnish” that is applied with a rectifier) This
process is far more involved, and far more expensive to purchase and
maintain.
Anti-Tarnishes usually come as a concentrate, where 1 liter makes 8
to 10 liters of bath. Cost is typically $18 to $25.00 per liter
depending on concentration and the volume you are buying. A liter of
an 8:1 concentrate should typically cover about 48 square feet of
well polished surface area, depending on the manufacturers
concentration.
There are simple tests you can perform “on the fly” to determine if
the product is being applied, and a Liver of Sulfur test can be used
to verify durability of the application.
For more feel free to contact me offline, or see our
website. www.davis-k.com
Glenn Thompson
Davis K Products Inc.