Silver is a fine noble metal. Products from it are simply mesmerizing - they shine, shimmer in the light and look like a real work of art. But if you just take the silver in your hands or put on a piece of jewelry, the fast oxidation process begins. Metal grows dull and loses a fair amount of its attractiveness.
Therefore, many prefer to obscure silver. On the one hand, such products look like antiques coated with patina. On the other hand, shiny silver with dark spots looks more attractive.
Blacking and oxidation
How to darken silver at home? There are two ways to do this: oxidation and traditional blackening. And the difference between these two methods is enormous.
During oxidation, silver is covered with a thin film of oxides, so the product gets a dark coating. But the coating is short-lived and easily erased. The difference is especially noticeable when cleaning - if polished oxidized silver, then it is covered with a grid of lighter spots.
Blackening is the coating of a metal surface with a mixture of silver, copper and lead sulfides. Such a coating is resistant to abrasion and completely disappears only with prolonged boiling or when exposed to acid.
Blacking on an industrial scale is produced in various ways. But, as a rule, they all represent the application of a powder from a mixture of silver, copper and lead sulfides on a product. The patina is fixed with a “dry” or “wet method” - in the first case, the product is fired after applying the powder, in the second - the metals are diluted with water to a creamy state, and silver after applying the mixture is heated in a muffle furnace.
If we talk about how you can generally darken silver, then experts distinguish the following methods:
- galvanic - this technology provides for the availability of special equipment, so it is not used at home;
- mechanical - using graphite;
- chemical is the most reliable method of blackening.
Mechanical method
How to darken silver at home with graphite? This is a fairly simple technology, and its result is due to the same processes that occur with lunar metal over time. That is, dust particles adhere to it and tightly “eat” into the recesses. Using graphite, you can simply speed up this process.
For blackening, the products are lubricated with a mixture of graphite powder, iron oxide and turpentine, diluted to a mushy state. Then they wait for complete drying and wipe the silver with a soft cloth. The older the product, and the more uneven the surface, the more noticeable the result. But in general, such blackening is less durable than that obtained by a chemical or galvanic method.
Egg blacking
How to darken silver at home with an egg? The technique is quite simple and you do not need to buy any additional funds. Everything you need is already in the refrigerator. So, for blackening with an egg, you must perform the following steps:
- Boil an egg or two if there are a lot of silver jewelry.
- Separate the protein - you can eat it, since it does not participate in the creation of a noble plaque. All substances needed for blackening are concentrated in the yolk.
- The yolks must be put in an airtight container and crushed.
- Next, you need to put silver in the same container, but so that the metal does not touch the yolks, otherwise the blackening process will take place too quickly and unevenly. Therefore, the jewelry must either be suspended or laid out on the grill, in the most extreme case - isolate them with a paper towel.
- Items must be left with the yolks in a tightly sealed container for a day. If after 24 hours the result does not look very impressive, then you can leave the silver for another 1-2 days.
- To get products and to wash them with soap.
- Polish all tabs with a soft cloth.
Iodine use
How to blacken silver at home with iodine? When using this substance, the product must first be cleaned. Then, with a cotton swab or cotton swab, apply iodine solution and put the silver dried best in direct sunlight.
When the metal darkens it needs to be cleaned with toothpaste - it will replace a soft abrasive. After cleaning, the bulges will shine, and the recesses will remain darkened. If the result is far from perfect, then the procedure must be repeated as many times as necessary.
The disadvantages of this technology are obvious: this method of blackening is suitable for embossed products, but is not suitable for jewelry with a smooth surface.
Sulfuric ointment
Silver can be quickly and effectively darkened with sulfuric ointment. This is a drug that is mainly used to combat the causative agents of scabies, both in humans and in animals. Therefore, it is sold in both a veterinary and a regular pharmacy.
Sulfur ointment is thick, yellow in color and has a rather unpleasant odor. It must be applied to the product, and then heated to a fluid state with a hairdryer. After the ointment goes into a more liquid state, it can be more accurately distributed on the surface of silver. When heated, it will be seen how the metal acquires a saturated black-blue or purple color. After the product can be wiped dry, if necessary, the procedure can be repeated.
Also at home, in order to darken silver, they use the “sulfuric liver” - a sintered mixture of sulfur and soda, which is thrown into water with silver. But at home, this method of blackening is not recommended, because hydrogen sulfide, a dangerous gas with an unpleasant odor, will be released in the process.
How to clean blackened silver?
Applying a dark coating is much easier than removing it later. In order to get rid of blackening, you will have to make a lot of effort, and most likely, he will turn to specialists for help.
But if you need to clean blackened silver, preserving the noble dark coating, then this procedure will require special care. First of all, you need to abandon the brushes, and use only soft rags for polishing. So the relief will remain darkened, and the bulges - shiny. You can use toothpaste as an abrasive. The blackened product must not be boiled or cleaned with caustic substances.
And in cases when you give the patched jewelry for cleaning to the workshop, you must warn the jeweler that you need to maintain a noble plaque.