Don has the right idea. Early on I read in Oscar Branson’s book on
the making of Native American jewelry, that one needs to apply the
oxidizer to silver hot. There is also a trick there for helping it
remain durable - boil the finished piece in hot water. All my
blackened silver is still very black ! I am very sensitive to the
liver of suphur smell and can’t use it - but love Black Max from
Rio. Works just fine without the odor or mess or keepability
problems of LOS.
Indian Jewelry Making (Jewelry Crafts)
By Oscar Branson
Price: $21.95
Product Information
Media: Spiral-bound
Manufacturer : Treasure Chest Books
Release data : 01 February, 2001
I am a lurker and am realtively new to the process of making
jewelry. I got into the hot tub one night and forgot to remove my
favorite silver necklace. It turnred very dark-not gray but black. I
had a devil of a time trying to get it out and never did get it all
out. Is Bromine just another form of chlorine? To me it doesn’t
smell like chlorine but it worked very well on my silver necklace.
Just thought you should know what happened to me since many people
have hot tubs and maybe use Bromine in them… You are a great bunch
of people! Thank you in advance. Anna
No, Anna, bromine is not a form of chlorine, – but it is an
extremely close cousin (they are both halogens, as is fluorine) –
and even more reactive than chlorine. It will probably take some
effort to polish it all off. (And, you will lose a small bit of the
silver, too, as it has been turned into silver chloride.)
Chlorine bleach is known to cause stress corrosion cracking in some
jewelry alloys. Unless you can find data that specifically states
that it does not affect sterling or fine silver I would avoid using
it on any of your work especially if the items are work hardened by
forging, stone setting, twisting, etc.
Jim Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts
Phone (360) 756-6550
Toll Free (877) 408 7287
Fax (360) 756-2160
@James_Binnion
Member of the Better Business Bureau