Pickling....

[Ruedeleglise]

Yet another basic question! I have made some items which are silver and brass. Can I pickle these items without tainting the pickle?

[Dennis]

Yes gold silver brass and copper can all be pickled in the same solution. What they have in common, copper and its oxides, get dissolved and turn the pickle blue. The degree of blueness is an indication of how much acid has been used up to create copper sulphate.

The blue solution plus a piece of iron, such as a nail can be used to disguise the silver colour of solder on copper. This action is halted by removing the nail again.

[Ruedeleglise]

Thank you, Dennis, once again for your clarification.