QuestionI recently inherited some vintage silver. Most was in good shape, but several pieces were tarnished to the point of being black. I've been using Wright's Silver Cream, and gotten them *mostly* shiny again. But there is some tarnish and spots that seem to refuse to come off no matter how much I shine it.
A couple of pieces are identifiable--they are weighted sterling salt & pepper shakers from Duchin Creations. The other is a pair of silver champagne glasses that were purchased for a 25th anniversary in 1970.
I'm wondering if it's worth my while to keep polishing away, or if I've reached the point of no return, and have to accept that age and excessive tarnish have left these pieces pitted and discolored.
Thanks for your kind advice and expertise.
AnswerDear Claire,
If the dark areas which will not polish off are on a smooth and easy to polish surface, the discoloration may be deep in the metal, a sort of tarnish called "fire scale" which can be caused by over heating the metal in manufacturing. Hand polishing will not remove it. Then again, be certain the particular item is sterling and not silver plate; silver plate could be showing one of the lower layers of electroplate such as nickel exposed from a worn away silver surface layer. I would imagine you already have checked to be sure the items are sterling but needed to mention this anyway.
There is one fairly reliable method you might try if the silver appears solid, meaning no holes in the weighted items. This will also work on silver plate since no rubbing is done. Have you heard of using baking soda and aluminum foil and water? I used this to clean a tea set of my mom's and some items were shiny but totally black! Fortunately, none were pitted. Pits will not remove unless the entire item is sanded down and polished below the level of the pit and that is generally not a justified means to use. I would polish as well as can and use this method I describe then live with the pits as a statement of the "history" of the vintage silver.
Take a glass dish deep enough to submerge the silver items or at least submerge slightly more than half of the larger pieces. Line the bottom with heavy duty aluminum foil, fill with water heated to a simmer and put in a tablespoon of soda. Put the silver in the pan touching the foil. Add soda to the hot water until you smell a sulfur odor and start to see tarnish going away from the silver surface. There is not a rule to how much soda but the container must be glass and the water must be hot to a simmer. The electro-chemical reaction of the foil and soda on the tarnish will take the tarnish away. When the effect slows or stops working, start again with fresh foil and hot water.
This method can be very successful and requires only that you are there to manage the process. Remove cleaned items, rinse well and pat with a soft cloth. Give the surface a touch of silver polish if you like but that is for future protection since the tarnish removal is already done.
There you are. Let me know if this helps. God Bless and Peace. Thomas.
