I use Hagety’s silver spray for in-between shows. I do have a small
ultrasonic cleaner than helps remove the tarnish when it occurs. I
have started sealing my work in zip lock bags. Unfortunately, we
have had to do a lot of out door shows recently. Other than what I
am doing, does anyone have any better ideas for prevention? Someone
once told me a small piece of camphor stuck in a cotton ball and put
in with jewelry would help prevent tarnish up to 2 yrs. I have not
tried this yet, due to the smell, but it would beat all the extra
polishing work. Any ideas greatly appreciated.
I was just looking through Rio Grand’s Display and Packaging
catalog. The sell a roll of what they call "Jeweler’s non-tarnish
paper and a 3m product called “Anti-tarnish strips and tabs”
I use the non tarnish to wrap my sold pieces. I am not familiar
with the anti tarnish strips. The description in the catalog sounds
interesting but they seem rather expensive and they have a short
shelf life.
I give a customer a package with one of Rio Grande’s sunshine cloths
and one of my cards in a zip lock bag. I suggest to them that they
need to use the cloth to give a loving rub to the silver every now
and then. One caution. The silver should be rubbed with a soft
clean cloth after using the sunshine cloth. If this is not done the
silver will take on a yellow look when exposed to any slight heat.
This can be a real pain if you use the sunshine cloth on pieces that
will be displayed in a lighted case or in the sun at a show. The
film can be easily removed by rubbing with a soft cloth.
By the way i don’t work for Rio Grande. Their catalog are
illustrated very well and supply a wealth of
I use the anti-tarnish tabs with my sterling charms. They work quite
well. I was told by a Rio sales person that the paper they are made
of is impregnated with some sort of silver “dust” which attracts the
sulfur from the surrounding air away from the silver jewelry. They
work best if the silver and tab are kept in a closed ziplock bag, but
the larger strips also work pretty well in a closed jewel box. I’ve
been using the strips in with my own jewelry collection for several
years, and I’m pleased with the results. I also keep a couple strips
in my show display case of silver charms. I believe the shelf life is
underestimated. I am still working on using up a bag of tabs that’s
over 2 years old, and they still work. The shelf life depends on how
much exposure to air the paper has received. I have been careful to
keep the storage bag well sealed. The price for the tabs worked out
to a penny or so each, I believe. I put a small home-printed card in
with each charm that I ship or sell, explaining what the tab is for
and how to clean their silver charm when it does finally tarnish,
and customers seem to appreciate it.
Have been using Camphor for a couple of years… it works … items
in zip lock bags small piece of Camphor in the bag… can be purchases
for 1’00 for about an inch square … at Walgreens Drugs. Jim