Tarnish Removal from Oxidized Pieces

Jewelry Discussion
1

Just out of curiosity, what do you tell your customers about caring
for pieces when they tarnish which have areas that have been
oxidized? What is the best method for tarnish removal without
removing the oxidation from say Griffith’s Black or Liver of Sulphur,
Max Black, etc.??

2

Rio Grande sells a polishing cloth called Sunshine cloth that has a
chemical in it that removes tarnish and brings back the bright
silver. The cloth will not removed oxides that are in recessed
areas. The cloth leaves a coating on the silver that must be wiped
off.

I give all my customers a piece of the cloth when they buy one of my
pieces.

All jewelry suppliers probably sell something similar.

No connection to Rio.
Lee Epperson

3 
... what do you tell your customers about caring for pieces when
they tarnish which have areas that have been oxidized?

Hello Grace and/or Tom,

I’ve been making and selling silver pieces with stamped, oxidized
text and the best solution I’ve found thus far is recommending a good
polishing cloth. That’s what I often use when such a piece is
returned to be “de-tarnished” so why not let them do it themselves at
home. So far everyone seems pretty happy with this approach.

Cheers,
Trevor F.
in The City of Light

4 
        Just out of curiosity, what do you tell your customers
about caring for pieces when they tarnish which have areas that
have been oxidized?

A polishing cloth

Jim Binnion

James Binnion Metal Arts

@James_Binnion

5 
        Just out of curiosity, what do you tell your customers
about caring for pieces when they tarnish which have areas that
have been oxidized?  What is the best method for tarnish removal
without removing the oxidation from say Griffith's Black or Liver
of Sulphur, Max Black, etc.??

Hello!

I have usesd very sucessfully a paste made of baking soda and water
on a soft cloth. This rubs off the tarnish with out disturbing the
oxidation on the silver. Rinse and dry with a soft cloth.

This is gentle enough to use with all stones including pearls, opals
and turquoise. I had a friend print these instructions with my logo
and phone number on regular printing paper that afterwards were cut
into strips and put them with each purchase.

Deanna

6 
The cloth leaves a coating on the silver that must be wiped off.

What happens if you don’t wipe it off? Will the tarnish come back
quicker? How do you tell your customers to remove it? Water?

I often tell my customers to use a Sunshine cloth – it never
occurred to me that it would leave behind a residue that “must” be
removed. Thanks for mentioning it.

Betty

7

I know this is somewhat gross, but for heavily tarnished pieces, add
some saliva along with the Sunshine cloth. I have removed almost
black tarnish this way.

Alana Clearlake

8

The instructions with the sunshine cloth say you should rub the item
with a soft cloth after using the sunshine cloth.

I have experienced my silver items, that were polished with a
sunshine cloth, developing a yellow film when they are heated in the
display case under a lamp. I can’t prove it but I think the yellow
film is caused by the film left on the silver after using the
sunshine cloth.

The film is easily removed with a swipe from a soft cloth.

The sunshine cloth is a great way to clean and polish silver. Just
wipe the item with a soft cloth after using the sunshine cloth.

No connection to sunshine other that the sunshine we have in
Arizona.

Lee Epperson

9 
   The cloth leaves a coating on the silver that must be wiped

off.

    What happens if you don't wipe it off?

Hello Betty,

In some cases it can be a lot better not to wipe it off, but I guess
that depends on the cloth you are using too.

What I’m thinking of is the situation I currently have where I use
Goddard’s cloth on Argentium. The long term effect is quite
remarkable, particularly if you don’t try and remove whatever the
cloth left on the metal. I mean, sure, you rinse it off for
cleanliness and all but it’s better not to try and strip it away.

The chems in polishing cloths can react with the metals in some
pretty sophisticated ways. Stripping after cloth polishing may well
be defeating a lot of the potential benefits.

Cheers,
Trevor F.
in The City of Light

10

Hello All

This is a beauty for matt finished pieces: Bicarbonate of soda
powder with a bit of water and a soft toothbrush. Gives the metal
that nice whitish colour too. For badly tarnished pieces I use a
polishing cloth followed by the bicarb.

Cheers
Christel van der Laan
in West OZ

11

I have had fantastic luck with blue cloths called Brilliant
Polishing Cloths that I got from Stuller. They smell kind of rank,
but they do a great job of keeping the tarnish from reforming. I
too am concerned about a residue, but whatever this cloth leaves
behind is not objectionable. As usual, no connection.

Allan Mason

12 
    I have had fantastic luck with blue cloths called Brilliant
Polishing Cloths that I got from Stuller.

If anyone would like to try these, but does not have a Stuller
account, just wanted to say that I carry them as well.

No disclaimer.

Elaine
Elaine Luther
Metalsmith, Certified PMC Instructor
http://www.CreativeTextureTools.com ™
Hard to Find Tools for Metal Clay

13

Allan, you must try the new anti- tarnish bags from stuller, the
cloth is great but it storing the item these are wonderful…

Andy " The Tool Guy" Kroungold
Tool Sales / Technical
Stuller Inc
Phone 800-877-7777 ext. 94194
Fax 337-262-7791