Customer complaint - PMC cufflinks turning black

[jools02]

Hi all,

I made a pair of PMC fingerprint cufflinks a few weeks ago for a customer and she has emailed me the following:

"These cufflinks have started to really discolour. One of them has almost turned black. I dropped one out of the box the corner has turned black where it fell? Is this normal? "

I'm not sure why this is, and none of the cufflinks I've made for other people have done this. I don't know what to say to her or what advice to give. They have been made and packaged the same way as all my other cufflinks. Could it be due to handling? Does she just need to polish them? If so what should she use?

[Di Sandland]

I thought one of the selling points of fine silver (and therefore PMC) was that it doesn't tarnish! I can't see that dropping it would cause such an effect either.

Seems this might be a question for Nic

[MuranoSilver]

Fine silver still tarnishes only slower.
There is no reason at all why an area that hit the floor should tarnish quicker.
The only thing I can think of is if somehow solder had got onto that area (maybe from your solder board?)

Are you oxidising the print? If so was the Liver of Sulphur (or whatever you use washed off fully?)
The only other thing it could be is maybe aftershave? Did the gent put his aftershave on (so it would beon his hands) before putting in his cufflinks?

if it was me I'd ask her to send them back to you so you can check them for her
nic x

[jools02]

Yes I use liver of sulphur to oxydise the print, perhaps I didn't get it all off? I'll ask her about the aftershave. Thanks for the advice again, hopefully I'll be able to contribute with some advice once I become more experienced!

[MuranoSilver]

How do you fire your pieces....
Are you using torch, hob or kiln?

[jools02]

How do you fire your pieces....
Are you using torch, hob or kiln?

I use a kiln at about 850c for 20 mins.

[MuranoSilver]

If you haven't got any inclusions (stones etc) you could up the temperature to 900c which will make the finished product a little stronger and denser
(denser = less porous so the LOS might not stick around as long )

You could also apply the los with a brush to just the area you want it on
and neutralise after with a warm bicarb solution.
Hope that helps with the problem
nic x