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


-----

Stripping silver from old flatware for salvage

I have been collecting old silverplate items to remove the silver.
I have an electroplating setup but need to know which chemicals will work best to strip silver.

Greg Coleman
Custom metal shop - Milledgeville, Illinois
August 27, 2011

---

I've been refining precious metals for 40 years and have found no processes to profitably strip and recover the silver plating from a copper based substrate, which is most likely what your material is. I know of a couple of ways to do it, but they are expensive to set up and both involve chemicals that are extremely dangerous. Neither should be used by an amateur.

Basically, what you have is copper scrap contaminated with silver. I know of no precious metals refiners that will accept that type of scrap and that is a good clue as to it's value and processing difficulties.

Chris Owen
- Nevada, Missouri, USA
August 30, 2011