Summary for strip silver from soft metals Discussion
The thread on how to strip silver from soft metals centers on two suggested approaches. Dan Thomas asks whether nitric acid or muriatic acid under current would remove silver from Britannia metal without damaging the base metal, and whether he could simply watch the process and stop it in time. Jon Diamond replies that a cyanide-based anodic strip works well: 12.0 oz/gal sodium cyanide plus 2.0 oz/gal sodium hydroxide at 6 volts, noting it will etch brass and nickel silver but works great on white metals; he says he then pickles the part in muriatic acid for a minute or so. Goran Budija offers a non-cyanide alternative, recommending a 5% silver nitrate solution with a few drops of pure nitric acid. The discussion presents differing views on chemistry choice, with safety and base-metal compatibility implied as key concerns.
Q. I am beginning a repair business and would like to do some plating also.I need a way to strip silver from soft metals like britania. I have small tanks and rectifier. I hear that you can use nitric acid or muratic acid under current? will that hurt the base metal? if it does I can watch it and take it out before it does?
THANKS!
Dan Thomas
silversmith – Cincinnati, Ohio, US
2004
A. 12.0oz/gal Sodium cyanide 2.0oz/gal Sodium hydroxide 6 volts work is anodic. It will etch brass and nickel silver but works great on white metals. After the work is stripped I like to pickle it in muriatic acid
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Jon Diamond
silver plater – Berkeley, California
2004
A. To avoid dangerous cyanide based formulations, you can use 5% silver nitrate solution (you can add few drops pure nitric acid). Good luck!
Goran Budija
– Cerovski vrh Croatia
2004