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Showing posts with label silver yoola oxidizing tarnish blak grey white. Show all posts
Showing posts with label silver yoola oxidizing tarnish blak grey white. Show all posts

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Vintage touch



As a designer I've been struggling for years between admiring vintage and brocante while being involved in the development of new products on a daily basis.
On one hand developing new products add interest to our eyes and lives and hopefully improves it and on the other hand old stuff has it charms and the weight of time.

My hubby that is a designer as well solved his inner conflict by collecting vintage tools and small objects (I do not approve for large ones that will block the house, which is already packed as it is).

I'm still looking for mine....
In the spirit of vintage I decided to launch a line of oxidized silver jewelry, I started with my hoops, sunflowers and drops but will continue with more with time. The oxidization gives the silver depth thanks to the different shades of gray and visual weight.
Tell me what you think, I'm curious to hear....

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

How to turn your grey silver back into pure white



Ever since I started making jewelry I've been fascinated with metals in general and silver in particular, a friend of mine that checked my Chinese astrological map told me its no wonder, this is exactly the material I lack....
But back to our topic, of all metals I LOVE silver the most, I LOVE hammering silver and love crocheting pure silver, but I've always been a little concerned about the fact that it tarnishes.

I didn't like to see my pretty white designs turn grey and hated to think it would happened to my clients too, and maybe they wont like it either, I know some people like it but some don't, tarnishes do give silver some depth and ages it but takes away the brightness and pureness.

Working with 14k gold filled gave me some relief, I tested it for months and learned that it is very reliable and doesn't tarnish at all.
The only slight little problem was it wasn't white...... and for white lovers yellow just wont do.

Occasionally I tried experimenting with baking soda, salt, warm water, cold watter, boiling water, n o t h i n g, tarnishes are tarnishes are tarnishes.
Yesterday while checking my inventory and going through some of my items that turned grey, I though I may tackle the problem from a new angle, start a new line of my designs in oxidized silver.
To this purpose and since I don't have formal metal smithing education, I started searching the net for information.
Rather quickly I found a forum where this topic was discussed along side with my well familiar opposite question, how to take away the greyness and make my silver designs back white....

I read all sort of suggestions and decided its time to experiment again, went to have lunch with the kids at home and in between preparations I DID IT !!!! and it worked !!!!
and this is what I did:
- I took a flat plastic dish
- lined it with aluminum foil
- poured in regular salt and some backing soda (never measure, don't know quantities)
- located the earring I wanted to clean on the bottom (touching the aluminum)
- poured boiling water
- let it lay there for a minute or so
- took it out and rinsed it under cold water.
- dried it.

I experimented with only one earring so I will be able to check the differences, but there was no need, it was so shiny white when I took it out that there was NO DOUBT.
I was so thrilled that I immediately tried it on other silver items that I had.
It worked faster on the knitted parts then on silver surfaces (solid rings for example), and the solid surfaces also needed some gentle wiping, but really gentle not scrubbing.

So this is it for now, I'm sorry I was so quick and did not take before and after photos, you will just have to believe me.

My other experiment, the silver oxidizing is still not finished but when it is and if it is successful as this one I promise to share it too.
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