Does anyone know what has caused this strange phenomenon?
I put a piece of work composed of sterling, fine and a small amount
of properly fired PMC+ in the pickle and left it (cold) overnight.
The following morning the pendant was covered in a thick, matted,
greasy yellow coating.
A lot of wire brushing, several heatings and plungings into hot
pickle got rid of it - eventually.
What happened? I keep my pickle and workbenches in very clean order
and can’t think of any contaminant that might have gotten in except
maybe a little domestic washing up liquid (Dawn.)
Sounds like you have some of that cruddy pickle that many of us have
been having trouble with. My Sparex turned all brown and greasy, and
coated everyting with a gooey film of brown gunk. Ugh. Check out all
the orchid archaive threads on this problem which was discussed in
detail for some time about a year ago.- Alma
Dear Tony, I really do not know what caused the yellow slime you
referred to however the PMC+ may have some role. Remember that PMC+ is
not as dense as a milled product. It is more porous therefore it will
“drink” pickle. Think of it as a sponge, it will not only “drink”
pickle but the pickle will remain active long after the PMC is out of
the pickle pot if it is not neutralized. Any PMC piece that has been
treated with any kind of acid (pickle or oxidizer) needs to be put in
an ultrasonic cleaner for 15 minutes or put in boiling water with
baking soda for about 10 minutes to neutralize the acid.
Where you using yellow hard solder flux by any chance?
I too have had problems with Sparex and about five years ago I
switched to Griffiths Pickle Safe and the problem went away. I
recently switched back to Sparex and the trouble came back. I was
told by another jeweler that they thought it was a bacterial growth
and a couple drops of chlorex would cure it. I thought that this was
an unsafe option be cause of the chlorine gas produced so I didn’t
try it. The Pickle Safe works
I was told by another jeweler that they thought it (slimy
pickle) was a bacterial growth and a couple drops of chlorex would
cure it. I thought that this was an unsafe option be cause of the
chlorine gas produced so I didn't try it. The Pickle Safe works
G’day; Any pickle that removes the copper stains from freshly
heated sterling or low carat gold will contain acid. Chlorox
contains sodium hypochlorite, which when mixed with acid, gives off
chlorine gas. However, it would be very little, and so long as you
didn’t deliberately get a lungfull, would not do a great deal of harm.
Though really there isn’t much point in doing it, because the
chlorine bleaches are all alkaline, and will neutralize the acid
pickle, making it useless. Again, however, if you buy sodium
bisulphate (notice, bisulphATE; find it on the container under
‘contents’) from the local pool & spa people as pH controller, it is
so very cheap that that you can get rid of it as soon as it is
prominently blue. Cheers,