QuestionQUESTION: What's a safe way of removing the white powder coating on a silver nacklace and pendant I recently purchased?
ANSWER: Hi, Lloyd. I have not seen a white powder coating on silver in all my years of experience, at least not on a new item. I really have no idea what this might be. I have seen white in recesses of refinished silver tableware(see the "Important..." paragraph below for more on that).
This is a thought: Some silver polishes are a wipe on rub off stuff and the residue can be a white to pinkish powder. The items may have been polished prior to purchase. This is a long shot but if so, try simply to wash it off with a mild dish detergent( one with no ammonia since ammonia can spot silver). Rinse well and pat dry.
Otherwise, try to rub the items using your fingers and a wet paste of baking soda. This is a very, very mild abrasive and cleanser when in paste form. When dissolved in water, there is no cleansing action of the sort we want. Rinse well, dry.
IMPORTANT POSSIBILITY
If you want, try to let me know what this unusual white powder might be. Perhaps the seller can tell you. Keep this in mind: Silver which has been soldered and worked on in manufacturer and then cleaned in a mild acid bath may very well show a layer of pure or fine silver in recesses. This is white. The only way to remove that is to polish the silver back to a shine and the white will go away. This is for a jeweler in most cases. The baking soda may help but will not likely do the job totally.
Lloyd, I do hope this answer helps somewhat. Wishing you and those you love a wonderful new year of 2009. God Bless. Thomas.
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QUESTION: I'm pretty sure it's powder coated. Here is a picture of the necklace: http://web5.revolveclothing.com/images/CHRO-MA3_V2-BIG.jpg
Here are the other 2 variants of this necklace, one is called black & silver (seems to be tarnished silver) while the other is labeled as powder coated gray & silver: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JT43ZNYv3Mk/SOTtIrBvXuI/AAAAAAAAFdg/smeGWc0yMkw/s1600-
I e-mailed the maker of this necklace to confirm the powder coating, but I'm pretty sure my assumption is correct. I e-mailed a business that deals in powder coating stripping and I was told to try Citri Strip and leave the necklace in the solution overnight. Do you think this will be safe to use on the silver?
AnswerLloyd, whether soaking the silver in the Citri Strip will damage the silver or even do any good depends on just what this "powder coating" might be. Citri Strip is a solvent material designed to strip varnish and similar substances from wood, etc. The link below shows a pdf with the ingredients:
http://images.rockler.com/tech/RTD20000135AA.pdf
Some chemicals will tarnish silver and items containing chlorine or sulfur will do just that dramatically. I see none of this in the stripper but am not a chemist.
You see, do we know what this coating truly is? If this is a powder bound to the silver with a paint like substance then the stripper will likely work. I would try a small amount first by hand with a small swab to see if there is any reaction at all before soaking the entire necklace tags. If the coat is a coat induced by heat and acids to put a layer of white fine silver on the surface, no stripper will remove it. However, such a silver coating will polish to a shine rather quickly on a jeweler's buffing wheel, removing the white look.
The darkened version has patina (yes, specialized tarnish) added. The easiest way to do this is with liver of sulfur in a warm solution then buff away what is not wanted.
Look closely to see if the coating could be a paint like substance. If not, then the stripper will likely do no good.
Bet wishes with getting the look you desire. This is quite an interesting necklace.
God Bless and Fine New Year. Thomas.
