Any chemists around

[trialuser]

I had thought that Goddards silver dip was a solution of Thiourea with a dash of isopropol alcohol.
I made a 5% solution of thiourea in the hope of saving a few bob but it doesn't work - at all.
I've got some propan-2-ol in another shed but it's a bit grotty to go out and get it at the moment.
I'm not too hopeful that a bit of alcohol will make a magical difference.
Has anyone succeeded in making a working silver dip using thiourea or anything else.
MSDS (http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCEQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhatsinproducts.com%2Ffiles%2Fbra nds_pdf%2F1330626281.pdf&ei=XleoVMuiJ4ffaoWMgNAM&usg=AFQjCNEJxNbrQ1JtKtsTpus9hH8I7n_AxA&bvm=bv.82001339,d.ZWU)
Yes, I know it's easier to buy it but I like tinkering.

[Dennis]

The ingredients listed on the jar are thiourea and non ionic surfactant. I think a few drops of washing up liquid would do the same thing. It does not have an alcoholic smell, so I guess there isn't any in it. Great stuff though and cheap in Sainsbury.

An alternative is warm soda solution, made with baking soda or soda crystals and a clean piece of aluminium, or aluminium foil. Some people consider this less aggressive, but I don't have a problem with the dip.

In both cases if you leave it for too long a dull grey patina develops instead, which is difficult to remove. Dennis.

[trialuser]

Ah, yes, cheers Dennis. I'd forgotten about the silver sulphide to aluminum sulphide method.
Re: the Goddards, that's strange as the msds lists the alcohol.
I didn't know about the grey patina.

[Goldsmith]

I quite often get my large pieces back for a clean up, I use Goddards but I find it cheaper to buy the large 5 LTR Goddards Hotel Silver Dip, see; http://www.amazon.co.uk/Goddards-Hotel-Silver-Dip-litre/dp/B004EEH9CK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420362208&sr=8-2&keywords=goddards+hotel+silver+dip that's a lot of cleaning for £23.78.

James

[trialuser]

That's much better value, cheers James.