| Search our quarter-million Q&As |
Home of the finishing HOTLINE since 1989
-----How to make new silver look old
Q. I would like to know how to make a shiny silver object look tarnished?
Thank you,
- Cote St Luc, Quebec, Canada
2003
A. Simple patina for silver:
30 gm copper sulphate
15 gm sodium chloride
1 dl water
Immerse object in solution!
- Cerovski vrh Croatia
2003
Q. What if the item is a very large tray? Also where do you get the products?
Thanks
- Huntersville, North Carolina
March 12, 2013
A. Hi Dianne. Please remember that an internet forum is a gigantic "one-room schoolhouse" where all of us are constantly overhearing things that are below our grade level in that subject and above it. Although copper sulphate ⇦ on eBay or Amazon [affil link] (root killer) and sodium chloride (table salt) are not strong noxious chemicals, the general idea of mixing chemicals is not for the casual reader but for people who are trained in it.
An easy and safe way to darken silver is to just break up a few hard boiled eggs, scatter them on your tray, cover with plastic wrap, and leave for a few hours. But don't be mad at us if the effect isn't what you were going for -- everything including art benefits from experience 🙂
Good luck.
Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.
March 12, 2013
Sorry! Finishing.com is temporarily Read-Only.
Ted Mooney is retiring but I have several offers to take it over.
We're working hard to make sure we find it the best new home.
