Polishing problem

[2753tony]

Hello everybody!
4891I've just collected a pendant sent to polishing and quite satisfied when first checked,.. however once home even if very careful in handling the silver pendant, started to notice the pendant catch fingerprints even at thinking of touching! i used a cloth for spectacle and as opposite i see scratches and the shine is gone..any tip/advice? thanks for your reply
Tony

[caroleallen]

I'd suggest you try micromesh polishing cloths which come in different grades.

[mizgeorge]

The camera always exaggerates with polished metal, and I suspect most of those are near invisible to the naked eye. As Carole says, micromesh would do the job. It's very hard to maintain a perfect mirror finish on silver (or anything else for that matter), which is why so many commercial pieces are plated as a last stage.

[Dennis]

I would go further and say that a mirror finish on silver is simply unsustainable unless only handled with newly laundered cotton gloves.

Carole's suggestion of using MicroMesh sheets will restore the shine starting with about 3600 grit and going up in three to four stages to 12000. The way is to put the sheet flat on your work top and rub the pendant on it. That way the surface will stay flat. MicroMesh can be found online.

Failing that, a sheet of clean new printer paper with a few drops of Silvo silver polish used in the same way will work quite well, finishing with a new soft cloth. Dennis.

[2753tony]

I've being using micromesh Carole for few days before sending to the polisher, ( 4000/8000 and 12000 grit).. but new scratches would appear at some point and had to start again! very time consuming :(
perhaps as George suggest should be plated? or need to be re-polished?

[2753tony]

thanks Dennis, very useful tips!