Metal finishing Q&As since 1989
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How to tarnish silver
Q. I'm a complete amateur with a small and hopefully simple question. I have used fine silver wire to make a pendant for an earring. How can I dull the finish of the wire? It is far too shiny when compared with the stainless steel of the ring.
Thanks.
Michael B [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]1998
A. Boil an egg, remove the yolk and break it into several pieces. Put that and the silver into a zip lock bag and close. It should be black in the morning.
Careful polishing will give you nearly any shade of grey.
The cat or the dog will appreciate the leftovers.
- Navarre, Florida
1998
Dear James,
I never heard of a yummy recipe like that in plating before!
Mandar Sunthankar- Fort Collins, Colorado
1998
It is simple, cheap, available, and it works.
The alternative is trying to buy 10 ml of liver of sulfur [on eBay or Amazon] , which most old processes call it. Most any polysulfide will do with a little ammonia. Arsenic will also work.
James Watts- Navarre, Florida
1998
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Liver of Sulfur
Q. Where could I purchase liver of sulfur? thanks alan Alan smolen1998 ---- |
A. I was hand-washing my whites in a mixture of equal parts water and extra-strength bleach. Two of my three silver rings turned completely grey. It's not guaranteed, but certainly worth a shot. Hope this helps.
Kelly P [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Hershey, Pennsylvania
2002
A. TO DIScolor (TARNISH) SILVER PLACE THE SILVER ITEM IN A JAR WITH SOME ROCK sulfur (YOU CAN GET IT FROM PET STORES) ADD BOILING WATER AND WAIT A FEW HOURS, I'VE TRIED IT AND IT WORKS.
WAYNE S [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- MANCHESTER, UK
2003
2004
A. This way really works. It took me ages to figure out. It gives a uniform tarnish. It works well even if the quantities are not exact, just be careful not to over-tarnish your pieces.
Tarnish Silver for four silver goblets:
- Weigh out approximately 11 g sulfur
[affil links] powder.
- Measure out 1 liter of vegetable oil using a measuring cylinder.
- Boil a kettle full of water.
- Stir the sulfur and oil in beaker [beakers on
eBay or
Amazon] or jug until the sulfur dissolves as much as it can pour 250 ml of the mixture into each of four beakers (or jugs) pour 500 ml of boiling water into a beaker.
- Pour 500 ml of boiling water and some washing liquid into a beaker dip a goblet in the first beaker with sulfur and oil in it for 1 minute, swirling the goblet
- Dip the same goblet into a beaker with the washing up water in it and swirl for 30 seconds
- Dip the same goblet into the beaker with the clean boiling water in it for 1 min (approx.), swirling it all the time.
The color should come up gradually- it will change color even after you take it out; repeat with remaining goblets.
Rachel N [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Australia
February 18, 2009
Q. How do I tarnish silver -- follow up question:
I would like to lay silver leaf and selectively tarnish areas of the completed piece.
Is there a resist that would protect the areas that I don't want tarnished?
Would wax work? (It should be easy to brush apply a melted wax.)
Once the piece is removed from the sulfur
[affil links] source, will the silver retain any of the sulfur and so keep on tarnishing (which would make variations in tone difficult)?
Thank you for any information or suggestions that you can offer.
Very respectfully,
Larry
- Vienna, Virginia
A. Please be sure NOT TO BOIL WATER when using Liver of Sulfur. If you do, it can produce a gas that is poisonous. Also do not use a torch with that product.
Dharlee Minter- Roanoke, Virginia, USA
January 24, 2012
Q. Accelerating Tarnish and Aging Silver
I would like to intentionally tarnish silver plating, quickly and at a low budget.
(End game is to document how much silver is removed from a commercial tarnish removing dip.)
Best method I have so far is submerged in virgin paper or cardboard, possibly with some cheap adhesive stickers or glue, add moisture and heat.
Parts, Materials & Process... Space Electronics - East Syracuse, New York
June 19, 2017
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