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thekozz7 · ‎02-09-2019

Sorry if this has been discussed before -- I searched for a thread but didn't find one. I'm looking for the best way to restore a piece of silver plated jewelry. It's a charm with a tiny discolored edge where it's now copper colored. If it was a larger area like a ring shank I'd just chuck it in a junk lot, but since it's just a tiny spot, I'd like to fix it if possible.

Here are some options I found and am wondering about:

Silver or gold leafing pens: These are not metallic enough as they have a matte finish. And don't bother with Krylon brand 18K Gold Leafing Pen ($8) as it also dries dull. Years ago I saw a pricey 22K or 24K leafing pen for $30 and I'm kicking myself for not buying it. I wonder how well it would have worked?
Rub-n-Buff Metallic Finishes: Online reviews look very promising. I saw the results of someone who successfully used the gold one to fix a charm. But the charm was porous, not smooth. So I'm not sure how it would turn out on a smooth piece. Has anyone tried this stuff?
Search results also showed a method that promises to magically turn copper areas back to silver plate. It involves mixing salt, baking soda and water and then microwaving until hot. Then the solution is poured into a bowl lined with aluminum foil. The writer said that soaking your jewelry will remove tarnish, and get this: The silver from the aluminum will re-plate the worn spots. Really? Now that sounds just too good to be true. Has anyone tried this method?

BTW, if anyone is interested, these suggestions can be found on a DuckDuckGo search for "how to fix repair worn jewelry plating" -- all these methods were found in the first 10 links.

One thing I did read and try is using a sterling silver polishing cloth, and it sort of worked. The tip of this silver plated charm had an ugly bright copper spot where the plating wore down so I rubbed it gently and it DID fade. A lot. So much that the spot blends in with the silver plated part. But it's still not perfect so I'm looking for other possible options. Any ideas?

thirry · ‎02-11-2019

I have a few items that need this sort of help but haven't tried anything yet. I hope someone here has tackled this sort of work. I'd love to know what success they did or did not have.

A.

rixstuff · ‎02-12-2019

rixstuff · ‎02-12-2019

Skip the foil nonsense - it doesn't really work and ALUMINUM wont replate SILVER. Also don't try SILVER plating at home - it cant be made without cyanide and is DANGEROUS. If it was gold I would tell you to go ahead - gold solutions can and are made responsibly and safely.

Exposed copper will eventually go green but pink silver may not have been made well to begin with - either a contaminated pickle solution during production or firescale from bad soldering without enough flux. It goes without saying taht NO item stamped 925 should have "plating" it should be solid silver.

mforjan · ‎02-12-2019

This is an interesting thread. But I have to wonder, is using things like rub on compounds restoration? I think not. Making something look better is completely different from restoration. Restoration would bring a piece back to how it was originally made. Quick fixes don’t do that, sorry, JMHO

thekozz7 · ‎02-12-2019

Thanks for your input, guys. I think on Thursday I'm going to a few craft stores to see what's what. If I purchase anything and experiment with it I will post results...good or bad.

rixstuff · ‎02-13-2019

Two kinds of plating - brush plating where the solution is a gel that is electro plated on by painting in on. Great for touching up specific spots (like covering chips). The other kind is bath plating where you dunk the whole item in a solution and let it bubble for a few minutes. It does cover the whole item though and a place where a chip is will leave a little indentation making it obvious there was previous damage.

Also important if there are STONES in the items to be replated you will need to handle them differently than just metal. Carbon-based (crystal type amethyst, topaz, diamonds) stones you can leave in when you replate - the solution wont stick to them (it is all about electricity and conducting magnetic fields of which the stones don't have). HOWEVER...your silica based (jade, onyx, opals) and calcium based (turquoise, pearls, cameos) MUST BE REMOVED before plating. Otherwise they will crack and shatter from the electric current going through them.

thekozz7 · ‎02-13-2019

@mforjan wrote:
This is an interesting thread. But I have to wonder, is using things like rub on compounds restoration? I think not. Making something look better is completely different from restoration. Restoration would bring a piece back to how it was originally made. Quick fixes don’t do that, sorry, JMHO

Very good point. Perhaps I should have put "fixing" or another more apt word in the title. Personally, I'm interested in anything that can make the piece look better. Check out this post about someone who fixed a Coach charm with the rub-n-buff stuff. The end result looks pretty good:

https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/cheap-easy-repair-for-worn-plating-on-coach-jewelry.911381/

thekozz7 · ‎02-13-2019

Thank you...lots of interesting information here.

@rixstuff wrote:
Two kinds of plating - brush plating where the solution is a gel that is electro plated on by painting in on. Great for touching up specific spots (like covering chips).

Do you have a link with more info on this process? Where can these products be purchased?

rixstuff · ‎02-14-2019

I get mine from a company that actually does autodetailing - Caswellplating.com (you can often find their items here on Ebay too). They offer small amounts (affordable) and are usually cheaper than jewelry supply places. IT IS THE SAME STUFF!

rixstuff · ‎02-14-2019

Here is brush plating: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoOULQYb58E

Here is the overall science https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxhCU_jBiOA

I'll see if I can find a bath plating video. I know I watched a few before trying it myself. What did we do before youtube?

thekozz7 · ‎02-14-2019

Thank you, rixstuff! I will definitely check that out.

scifidaughter64 · ‎02-14-2019

Did it by trial and error. The emergency rooms loved us.

rixstuff · ‎02-15-2019

This is from today's Washington Post:

If you want to restore a silver look on your own, you can brush on one of the products sold as instant silver plating, such as Medallion Liquid Silver Polishing and Plating Solution ($14.99 from sciencesolutions.com). The solution contains pure silver, and it will chemically bond with the underlying metal using the same process that happens in a battery.

But there are a few critical caveats: Liquid silver products aren’t paint; they work only when the base metal is capable of setting up an electrical reaction with silver. Liquid silver works on copper, brass, bronze and nickel. If the underlying metal is steel, or if the surface is something other than metal, the solution just wipes off. Also, the plating created by liquid silver is super-thin because the plating reaction continues only while there is bare brass or one of the other reactive metals for the liquid silver to react with. These solutions are great for filling in places where plating has worn off on vintage pieces that won’t be used a lot. For your salt shakers, you might want to try it to see whether the spruced-up look lasts long enough — especially if you bring out some of the shakers in your collection only for large holiday gatherings.

Here's the whole article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/corroded-saltshaker-tops-you-can-restore-the-original-...