I thought, also, that it was kind of curious, saying not to
quench in hot pickle. Every silversmith I know and all the books
say to do so. Of course you don’t throw it in until the red heat
disappears, one tip. I would think the polishing process, if any
acid actually IS in the metal, would remove the thin layer. I
would think also a long soak in baking soda would reach anything
that would be exposed to skin, and by the way human skin is a
slightly acid medium itself…OK, John Burgess’s turn
Dave
Hi Dave, Afraid I’m wading in on the ‘don’t quench in pickle’
side of the story. In factory situations it has been shown people
subjected to sulfuric acid aerosols (what you get when you
quench) show damage to the enamel of their teeth. I’ve seen
people splash their clothing and have it eaten (mine too), seen
people splash hot acid in their eyes (wow that smarts and the
rinsing isn’t exactly fun either) and I go along with the idea
of acid in the microporosities which comes out and reacts with
clients later (well-mostly for cast objects in my mind rather
than sheet constructions). What difference does it make if you
quench in water first and then pickle? I think the reduction in
hazard is worth it. And I always hold that lid like a shield
anyway and slip the object in from the side away from me
(splashed acid in my eye once dropping a cold object into the
pickle). So I quench first and pickle after unless I’m really
moving fast. And then I will preferentially scoop some pickle
solution out into a copper bowl, place my object into it and hit
the bowl with a torch for a really rapid pickle. Use ventilation!
Charles
Brain Press
Box 1624, Ste M, Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2L7, Canada
Tel: 403-263-3955 Fax: 403-283-9053 Email: @Charles_Lewton-Brain
Metals info download web site: Learning Center - Ganoksin Jewelry Making Community
Product descriptions: http://www.ganoksin.com/kosana/brain/brain.htm
Links list hosted at the Metal Web News:
http://www.mindspring.com/~wgray1/jewelry/