Nickel pickle

Jewelry Discussion
1

R. E.Rourke

Also, what is the advantage of nickel pickle?

thx
brenda

2

I work in Nickel Silver almost exclusivly and have stopped using
nickel pickel completely. I have a cottage cheese container that each
morning I sprinkle some Sparex (about 1/2 tsp) and a 1/2 inch of
Hydrogen Peroxide. Works many times better then Pickel. It only lasts
for a day so has to be remade every day. I don’t normally heat it up
but if I ever feel I need to I put a inch of water in my crock pot
andset the container in the water.

Once you try this andsee the results I really doubt you will ever
use Nickel Pickel.

my experince for what is worth

milto

3

The single advantage of a nickel pickle (Potassium Dichromate, a.
k.a. potassium bichromate) is that once mixed into water it lasts
far longer than using a solution of granular hydrogen peroxide (like
Oxi-clean) and phDown or sodium bisulphate (one common brand is
Sparex*#2 *) which can be used with silver, and copper containing
alloys while straight nickel pickle(s) can not be used with silver at
all. unless you want to use it as a patina because it will definitely
change the colour of silver. In fact there was a solution
(Schwerter’s Solution) made years ago that was used to test silver’s
purity. You have to store nickel pickle in a glass or ceramic
container with a lined or enamelled cap or better yet a glass lid- It
is very carcinogenic in its pure state according to OSHA. So not
something to play around with. Store the unused material properly.
Never boil it- but, if warmed in a pyrex pan or beaker ( or warm in a
dedicated pot on the lowest setting of the pickle pot or " crock
pot") don’t stand over the open container, use a respirator with
filter cartridges and take all standard chemical handling
precautions -Some crock pot brands use glazes that don’t last very
long when the pickle (any pickle, even ordinary sparex, pHdown, etc.)
stored in it 24/7 .Do check your "crockery liners frequently for
signs of pitting, etc.

around the liquid line for problems. You may start seeing strange
results when you pickle silver, 14 karat or lower- well, even 18 kt.
now that I think about it…-once the liner begins to age. the
stoneware the liner is made of often contains iron oxides and it
leaches into the pickle solution at which point time to buy a new
liner ! If you are lucky enough to find a “crock pot” type cooker
with a glass liner when setting up your studio go for that type from
the beginning; you’ll never have to change it out! Hope this helps.
rer

4

I used to use nickel pickle a lot when I was working primarily in
nickel for it lasts longer than the preoxide pickle. now that I don’t
work so much in nickel, I’ve gone back to the preoxide pickle. both
have their pros and cons.

Joy

5

There is what part of this discussion I am missing. What is he
difference/impact on the nickel between nickle pickel vs sparex?

brenda

6

Sparex #2 is the ordinary sodium bisulphite dry granular product for
non-ferrous metals. Nickel pickle is for metals that are ferrous.
like german silver/nickel and steel, etc. Sparex #1