Where the
world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989


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Silver dip

My grandfather years ago owned a jewelry store and in one of the magazines he found a recipe for making a silver dip using battery acid [affil links], distilled water and something else you would mix it together and store it in a large trash can and it lasted for years and years but now I have a jewelry store would like to make some for use here and am trying to find the recipe and the correct measurements if any one can help please.

Carla
jewelers - Adel, Georgia
2005

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2005

Hi, Carla. I'm not sure if you are talking about an immersion plating process to add a thin layer of silver to silver plated articles that have worn through in areas (for that, please see our FAQ: "Silver Plating at Home"),

... or a silver cleaning solution to remove tarnish (for example, see Goddard's silver dip [on eBay or Amazon],

... or an anti-tarnish dip for silver. Please get back to us on that.

But you are living in a very different time than your grandfather, and in many industries we no longer have the freedom to formulate (or even use) heavy metal chemicals and toxic materials without permits and licenses. You need to check EPA regs (40 CFR) and State laws for their impact on your plan to make such solutions. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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Very diluted sulfuric acid can be used for cleaning silver tarnish (5%, 100 °C temp.), but borax [affil links] solution is much safer choice(60 gr / 1 lit water, 100 °C; object must be on zinc or aluminum wire). Good luck!

Goran Budija
- Zagreb ,Croatia
2005