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Removing stain/tarnish from reticulated silver

Jewelry Discussion
#1

Hi all! Wondering if anyone has suggestions with tarnish removal in recesses of reticulated 925 and sterlium jewelry? Also I have noticed some reddish deposits building up in recesses/crevices and am thinking now it must be copper. It doesn’t seem to come off in the pickle and was not noticeable when pieces were finished.

Tried brass brush with baking soda, tumbling, aluminum foil with baking soda and boiling water and it is still there.

The way I was taught to reticulate was to do it without depletion guilding metal first. I sometimes depletion guild after with mixed results and always seem to have a few areas that go dark not white. I have had major adhesion issues with keumboo after guilding.

Other issues I may be creating is i use dawn dish soap as a replacement for ultrasonic/with ultrasonic cleaner. I use it in my tumbler too.

Also I have found a yellowing sometimes after I finish depletion guilding that I suspect could be contamination from using brass brush with water only. A finish I often use is baking soda water rubbed with brass brush.

Thanks for any feedback in advance☺

#2

Try this…
Add a good dollop of hydrogen peroxide to a new batch of pickle - say 1 cup to 2 pints - and re-pickle the object.

Tony Konrath

tonykonrath@mac.com

#3

Hi Nicola

“A finish I often use is baking soda water rubbed with brass brush.”

I have to admit this seems a little counter intuitive to me. The baking soda is abrasive and makes a good polishing agent in the right circumstance. I suspect the brass brush is many times more abrasive than the soda. Why combine them? Why not a toothbrush? Or as I use at times, a small stenciling brush in a slow turn drill motor.

I will give it a try on something. That’s the best way I know to get an answer. Thanks for the tip.

Don Meixner

---- Nicolina Sebok orchid@ganoksin.com wrote:

#4

Hi Don,

I agree with you, I felt the same way! I only use it on my reticulated work. A goldsmith taught me this finishing technique and said it was very popular in Germany where she trained. She also uses baking soda on and toothbrush i think, not brass brush on keu m boo to give it that satin type finish. Curious what you think from your experiment :slight_smile:

#5

All good stuff. I was taught the tooth brush backing soda trick from my master to brighten up gold platings.

I use a deticated electo clean bath run at 6 volts to remove tarnish. Usally works instantly.

Regards
Franz

#6

Thanks Tony, is this something that works with citric acid pickle also? That is what I use. Can you keep the peroxide in this pickle and use for regular application s also. Funny I tried the baking soda aluminum foil method again, after tumbling for 5 minutes and it came off!

#7

Hi Franz, that sounds neat, how does the setup work?

#8

The hydrogen peroxide disappears (it converts to oxygen and water) after a little while so you can continue to use the pickle. It should work with the citric acid.

Tony Konrath

tonykonrath@mac.com

#9

Electro cleaner is a pre plating bath. TSP is what I understand it is. I use it with a 25 amp rectifier set at 6 volts, and a stainless steal anode with stainless wire connected to piece.

Hope this helps.
Franz

#10

Thanks Franz! What method do you usually recommend for your clients to clean their own jewelry. I was recommend ing the baking soda mix. But then I also do some pieces that are black oxidized with silver highlights. Cleaning cloth can remove a bit too much oxide, even though it’s recessed. Then hightlight s look pretty full still.