How to clean blackened silver from blackening?

Of all kinds of silver, the greatest attention is attracted to blackened silver. Products made from such precious metal, are particularly beautiful and exquisite. Many owners of such ornaments and interior items are wondering how to clean blackened silver from blackening.

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History of the appearance of blackened silver

Blackened silver exists in two forms. The first of them is formed naturally, and the other is made by the factory( the hands of the jeweler).It is known that blackened silver is a metal that is made using a special technology.

The ways of its creation became known and widely used 500 years before our time in ancient Russia. Masters tried in this way to give silver strength, decorate the patterns of fine work. Intentionally changing the type of precious metal became widespread in Russia in the 17th century.

This metal gained great popularity in Veliky Ustyug. It was here that the national craft was born. In the state ethnographic museum there is an extensive exposition of products of masters from Ustyug. The most famous exhibit is a cast cross, which is made of silver and is not only black but also gilded.

This type of jewelry was very popular in the European part of the country in the 17th and 18th centuries. It became very fashionable and prestigious to have from this material dishes, cigarette cases, snuffboxes, tableware, engravings. On products from silver cities, pictures of hunting, geographical maps, and also vegetative and geometrical ornaments were represented. In view of the complexity of the patterns, the technology of how to clean silver has also been constantly improved.

Today you can meet priceless copies, which are real works of art, respectively - they are very expensive.

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Ways of blackening

A lot has accumulated over hundreds of years of ways to create dark patterns on silverware. To make silver make black, it is necessary to achieve the effect of deposition of silver sulphide on the surface of the product. You can receive it in the following ways.

Mechanical

This is the simplest way. To perform this method, graphite, mixed with iron oxide and turpentine, will be needed. The agent in the form of gruel is applied to silverware and waiting for complete drying, and then remove the mixture from the surface with a soft brush or suede cloth. The protruding places are rubbed with alcohol. The result is an artificially aged silver product.

Important! This method is used by jewelers to darken a small number of products. If the process is carried out in large quantities, galvanic baths are used where the metal oxides are deposited on the article by electrolysis. On the perimeter of the tank create one discharge, and on the alloy - another. Attracting, plus and minus create the final product.

The disadvantage of the mechanical method is the minimal adhesion to the surface of the decoration. Rings of blackened silver, necklaces and earrings are easy to return to their original appearance. Therefore, to clean such blackened silver from blackening is easiest.

Chemical

This method is the most effective and durable. Its principle is to fill the mixture of sulfurous silver engraved parts of the product. A mixture of oxides is placed on the base, then it is heated, allowing them to mate with the product. In the groove of the pattern, the powder is placed in different proportions of:

• Silver.
• Copper.
• Lead.
• Sulfur.

Important! The silver object must be heated until the mixture dissolves and turns black. After treatment, the product is polished and ground. As a result, on a light background, dark patterns of any complexity are obtained.

Blackening of silver at home - method number 1

You can blacken the silver at home. For this purpose you will need the available components that can be found in any house:

• Egg.
• Fine thread( fishing line or rope). .
• Tightly closed plastic container.

Proceed as follows:

1. Before the process, thoroughly clean the silver from dirt.
2. Cook the egg and cut it in half.
3. Put eggs in the container.
4. Silver thing hang on a rope for blacking.
5. Leave ornaments under the hermetically sealed lid for 30 minutes or longer.
6. Turn the product from time to time to evenly produce black.

Principle of operation: in sealed conditions, the product is surrounded by hydrogen sulfide pairs that are released from food. The resulting coating is very stable and durable.

Important! This method can also be used to blacken jewelery with precious stones, but after the procedure they must be carefully wiped, so that the stones do not lose their natural brilliance and brightness.

Blackening of silver at home - method number 2

You can use iodine solution for the blackening procedure.

Follow this plan:

1. Use a cotton swab to apply iodine to a silver product.
2. Leave the object to dry in the sun.
3. After the appearance of black, polish the product with a cloth with the toothpaste squeezed out onto it. In convex places, silver will become light, and in hard-to-reach places it will remain dark.

Important! Embossed ornaments with various intricate patterns after this method will look great, but do not subject the flat products to such processing.

Blackening of silver at home - method №3

Gray ointment will also help to give silver an antique look and the right shade. To do this:

1. Fully patch the jewelry with sulfur ointment.
2. Heat the item with a hair dryer, turning on hot air. As the temperature increases, a black-violet hue will appear, which means that the process has been successful.
3. The product is polished and enjoy a unique charm.

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How to clean silver with black ink?

Blackened silver has a number of advantages, and most important of them - the product does not need to be constantly cleaned, because the charm of aged products is that they do not require polishing. However, items of blackened silver should be periodically cleaned of accumulated dust and dirt.

Important! Do not use harsh chemicals, including ammonia, for cleaning. Do not boil black jewelry and do not polish with sharp abrasive particles.

Consider a few simple and affordable ways to clean silver with blackening at home:

• To clean the earrings, a ring, a chain of such silver, use a soapy solution with a pinch of soda. Immerse the product in solution for 15-20 minutes. Strong pollution during this time will go away, and you will only have to rinse the jewelry well under warm water and wipe dry.

Important! The appearance of silverware will not be affected, even if you often use this method.

• Cut the peeled raw potatoes and pour it with cold water. Leave in the pots with pottery decoration for 3-4 hours, and then rinse thoroughly and wipe with a soft cloth or flannel.
• Add 15 ml of soda to a glass of water and wash the silver product in this solution.
• Sections of the product wipe the eraser eraser and the dirt will go away instantly.

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How to clean blackened silver from blackening?

If you nevertheless decided to clean blackened silver from blackening, then for this purpose you can use the following recipes:

• Boiling of products with foil and soda. Take a pot of the right volume, cover its bottom and walls with a layer of food foil and put objects inside. The surface of the products sprinkle with baking soda( 3-4 tablespoons), cover with an additional sheet of foil. Pour boiling water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, leave the saucepan for another 15 minutes. After the cleaning procedure, rinse the product in a large amount of running water.
• Use table salt, baking soda, foil and dishwashing detergent. In a container sent by food foil, in one layer add up the silver jewelry. Sprinkle objects with a mixture of salt and soda and add a small amount of the composition for washing dishes. Pour all the steep boiling water, and after 10 minutes, rinse the jewelry under a stream of cool water.
• Clean the silver from the blackening with ammonia, mixed with a pinch of chalk. Prepared gruel from the components, apply to the product. Clean the decoration with an old toothbrush with very soft bristles. After treatment, rinse the objects in large quantities of cold water.
• Mix ammonia, dental powder and baking soda in equal proportions. With a soft brush, treat the surface of the product with the product. After the disappearance of blackness, rinse the object with running water.
• To make silver jewelry lighter, use a solution of citric acid( 100 g of acid per 400 ml of water).Dip the product into a solution and boil it in a water bath for 30 minutes. After the cleaning procedure, rinse the objects and dry them.

Stylish silver jewelry, especially with elements of blackening, are ideal for special celebrations and important events. They are suitable both for the classical dress and for the costume, they are in harmony with any clothing other than sportswear. But to keep your jewelry as long as possible, store them in dark boxes, where the sun does not penetrate, and sometimes give them the rest that is necessary for all jewelry. Such accessories are worthy of careful attitude to themselves and admiration from all around them.