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Trudy
04-08-2009, 07:20 AM
How long can we keep pickle before throwing it out and when we do get rid of it how are we supposed to do it?

I made my first home lot of pickle up yesterday and have kept it in a glass jar to use again today...is that going to be ok?

Thank you

bustagasket
04-08-2009, 07:23 AM
good question! i made some pickle up at home too and its in its slow cooker that i got for it, and i have just turned it back on when i have needed it and its been fine for the last couple of weeks, but whether i have been wrong to leave it there really dont know, so i will be interested in the correct answer myself :D

Trudy
04-08-2009, 07:29 AM
good question! i made some pickle up at home too and its in its slow cooker that i got for it, and i have just turned it back on when i have needed it and its been fine for the last couple of weeks, but whether i have been wrong to leave it there really dont know, so i will be interested in the correct answer myself :D

Yeah Ive been looking and googling everywhere but cant seem to get a good answer :(|

Hope someone can help!! :) :)

caroleallen
04-08-2009, 07:34 AM
I just use mine until it doesn't work any more and then dilute it with loads of water and tip it away down the sink. It usually last for several weeks of every day use.

myke
04-08-2009, 07:35 AM
Yeah Ive been looking and googling everywhere but cant seem to get a good answer :(|

Hope someone can help!! :) :)
I dont know if you are supposed to do this but I keep my pickle on the go for months in the slow cooker and it seems to do its jop ok not sure if that any help all hte best myke

mizgeorge
04-08-2009, 07:40 AM
a lot depends on the type of pickle you're using, but generally, until it stops working is fine!

Remember that it can get stronger rather than weaker (as the water evaporates) so may need topping up rather than adding more

kymbi
04-08-2009, 08:03 AM
I just keep mine in an old coffee jar with the lid on until I need it, then heat it up as I don't use it every day ~ my current batch has lasted at least 6 weeks. When it's finished, I just dilute it (a lot) and tip it into the drain outside.

Trudy
04-08-2009, 08:11 AM
a lot depends on the type of pickle you're using, but generally, until it stops working is fine!

Remember that it can get stronger rather than weaker (as the water evaporates) so may need topping up rather than adding more


Im using the pickle from the cooksons soldering kit...Im glad that it seems to last a while, I was worried I might have to make up a new batch each time.

MuranoSilver
04-08-2009, 10:21 AM
Arrrrrghhh PLEASE don't throw pickle down the drain..even with lots of water!!!

A used pickling solution, contains copper, which is a heavy metal.
So used pickle is a contaminated solution, which is hazardous, and must be disposed of properly.
I even know one person who threw it down an outside drain - goodness knows what pollution they caused :mad:
Even if you neutralise pickle with bircarb (which will at least deal with the Acid) it will STILL
contain the heavy metals. Therefore, even neutralized pickle is considered a hazardous material.

If you phone up the local council they'll tell you where you can dispose of things safely...
I evaporate mine and then dispose of the crystals :-O

Nic x

bustagasket
04-08-2009, 10:45 AM
Arrrrrghhh PLEASE don't throw pickle down the drain..even with lots of water!!!

A used pickling solution, contains copper, which is a heavy metal.
So used pickle is a contaminated solution, which is hazardous, and must be disposed of properly.
I even know one person who threw it down an outside drain - goodness knows what pollution they caused :mad:
Even if you neutralise pickle with bircarb (which will at least deal with the Acid) it will STILL
contain the heavy metals. Therefore, even neutralized pickle is considered a hazardous material.

If you phone up the local council they'll tell you where you can dispose of things safely...
I evaporate mine and then dispose of the crystals :-O

Nic x

Dang woman how do you remember everything!

ps_bond
04-08-2009, 10:48 AM
Arrrrrghhh PLEASE don't throw pickle down the drain..even with lots of water!!!

Oh good - it's not just me flinching at that!

Di Sandland
04-08-2009, 11:43 AM
Oh good - it's not just me flinching at that!

Me too - I thought perhaps I was just being an old fart!

kymbi
04-08-2009, 12:03 PM
Oops! It was never explained to me about the disposal of pickle when I went to my class years ago. I'm off to find the council department that deals with the disposal of hazardous waste....

Ominicci
06-08-2009, 03:17 PM
OK Nic ('boffin' smilie needed)... what do I do with the lead waste I end up with from stained glass work - is that the same??

ps_bond
06-08-2009, 03:24 PM
Is that the came? You can't contaminate the groundwater with that. It's not something I'd throw out though - far too useful.

You'll be surprised to learn I have buckets around - scrap copper, scrap lead, brass, steel, aluminium, dead batteries, dead inkjet cartridges... I reuse anything I can.

kymbi
06-08-2009, 03:33 PM
Interestingly, on Cooksons product info for pickling solution, it says you can dispose of it by diluting and pouring it down the sink #-o

http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Pickling-Powder--1kg,-Un2837-prcode-998-240

MuranoSilver
06-08-2009, 04:07 PM
Interestingly, on Cooksons product info for pickling solution, it says you can dispose of it by diluting and pouring it down the sink #-o
http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Pickling-Powder--1kg,-Un2837-prcode-998-240

naughty!! [-X

Ominicci
06-08-2009, 05:14 PM
(Yes Peter, the lead came - what else can you do with it then?)

The Dragon
18-08-2009, 09:20 PM
OK stupid question coming up!

How do you make home made pickle?, if I can save on the additional cost of courier deivery I will.

Annie

ps_bond
18-08-2009, 09:22 PM
Citric acid from a homebrew shop!

ps_bond
18-08-2009, 09:24 PM
(Yes Peter, the lead came - what else can you do with it then?)

Sorry, missed this earlier - lead is far too useful to chuck out, you can use it for forming work into amongst other things. At the very least it can be used as sea fishing weights.

mizgeorge
18-08-2009, 10:16 PM
Lots of options for pickle. For instantly available at home, vinegar and salt works beautifully. So does Cillit Bang (the original formula)

I generally use alum rather than acid based pickle, mainly because with small fingers in the house, I try to limit my acid use, and I use my pickle pot too often to be able to banish it to the shed!

The Dragon
18-08-2009, 10:33 PM
Well I make homemade wine in the winter so have quite a lot of citric acid and I could probably do with replacing my old slow cooker. Just have to get the recipe right.

Thanks guys

Annie

caroleallen
19-08-2009, 06:08 AM
I use alum too as it doesn't react too badly with enamel. Some enamels are OK but others just go matt in safety pickle. You can get alum in Boots but you have to be persistent as they won't find it very easily on their chemicals list.

Ominicci
19-08-2009, 06:19 AM
Sorry - I'm doing a bit of Thread Jacking here - Peter what do you mean by 'forming work into'? Start a new thread or PM me?

Solunar Silver Studio
19-08-2009, 08:56 AM
I use alum too as it doesn't react too badly with enamel. Some enamels are OK but others just go matt in safety pickle. You can get alum in Boots but you have to be persistent as they won't find it very easily on their chemicals list.

Years ago I tried to get alum to use as a mordant in dyeing textiles and every chemist looked at me as though I crawled out from under a stone...none of them found anything on their stock lists...In the end I got some from a wool dyer on ebay. I can't find it there now but there is this...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aluminium-Sulphate-500g-Tub-Cake-filter-alum-mordant_W0QQitemZ300339835153QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK _BOI_Medical_Lab_Equipment_Lab_Supplies_ET?hash=it em45eda63111&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Apparently there are 2 types of mordant alum - aluminium sulphate and potassium aluminium sulphate. The aluminium sulphate is more likely to be contaminated with iron unless it comes certified as iron free...I guess this is a potential problem with a pickle solution!!??

But then - I don't know what I am talking about......


PETER!!!!!:help:

ps_bond
19-08-2009, 09:17 AM
I have to say I've never tried alum as a pickle - safety pickle, dilute sulphuric (about 10%) and citric acid are the ones I've used. I've also used drain cleaner before now as my source of sulphuric - that tends to be for larger brazed or welded work (or if I'm stripping galvanising off steel).

I've used alum in making large crystals (which was fun), in pickles and in a styptic pencil.

I'm not certain what the result would be of having iron ions in solution with the alum; it would probably be the equivalent of having already dunked an iron object into your pickle pot. I've used pickle after doing this - and I've deliberately plated items using this too - but I've never ended up with a high concentration of iron in the mix.

As for forming work into lead - http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ZQA4ez2a9JwC&pg=PA14&lpg=PA14&dq=lead+block++forming+silver&source=bl&ots=inEr8ntiu5&sig=pUgCH9nEkkBzSnHth6GtRboM4kA&hl=en&ei=fbyLSvz8EtKRsAa2ptHKDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5#v=onepage&q=lead%20block%20%20forming%20silver&f=false covers it well. Let me know if that link works - it's fairly unpleasant and may have session info in it!

amazingbabe
19-08-2009, 02:42 PM
Can anybody tell me how long do i have to leave something pickle for and does it have to be heated????:)

mizgeorge
19-08-2009, 03:00 PM
It depends on the piece, and how bad the firescale is. I use alum, heated in a slow cooker on the lowest (keep warm) setting. Most things take between 5 and 20 minutes to get to white. You can use cold pickle, but it does take longer.

Fiona
19-08-2009, 03:06 PM
I use brown vinegar and salt - cheap and it works :)

amazingbabe
19-08-2009, 03:29 PM
Cheers George !! so basically untill the piece turns white??? Its a handmade bezel for a ring ?? New to this malarky !!!!:)

Rob Taylor
03-09-2009, 03:41 PM
Arrrrrghhh PLEASE don't throw pickle down the drain..even with lots of water!!!

A used pickling solution, contains copper, which is a heavy metal.
So used pickle is a contaminated solution, which is hazardous, and must be disposed of properly.
I even know one person who threw it down an outside drain - goodness knows what pollution they caused :mad:
Even if you neutralise pickle with bircarb (which will at least deal with the Acid) it will STILL
contain the heavy metals. Therefore, even neutralized pickle is considered a hazardous material.

If you phone up the local council they'll tell you where you can dispose of things safely...
I evaporate mine and then dispose of the crystals :-O

Nic x
Nic, you are right, pickle shouldn't be diluted and poured down the drain. The website is being updated. It should be neutralised with an alkaline (eg soda ash) and evaporated. The liquid can then be siphoned off and the remains put in with normal rubbish. The Pickling powder does not contain copper.

Dano
05-09-2009, 01:12 PM
what exactly IS safety pickle anyway? i mean i know what it is i just don't know what its mum calls it when its in trouble, the somethingium whatnotrate name.

Ominicci
05-09-2009, 03:10 PM
Ok now I am confused again.

"Evaporate" - how? The only thing that comes to mind is boiling it dry?

"It should be neutralised with an alkaline (eg soda ash) and evaporated. The liquid can then be siphoned off and the remains put in with normal rubbish." - if you've evaporated it (the way I've said above?) then you don't have any liquid. Where exactly does the copper go if the remains can go in with the normal rubbish. Where do you dispose of the crystals Nic?

:o

MuranoSilver
05-09-2009, 03:48 PM
I give them to the council man labelled as Acid :Y:

MuranoSilver
06-09-2009, 11:46 PM
Poor worms, birds and other denziens of the food chain
"Arrrgh it burns it burns...." :'(