Blackening silver

[Oakenelf]

Please can someone tell me how to get silver to go black in the creases - it is an effect you usually see on celtic designs, where the outside is polished bright and all the knotwork is really blackened giving an aged effect?
thanks x

[Oakenelf]

just found the answer in another post - Im off to boil an egg


(Sorry Jayne forgot the bit about Milo trying to clean it with bicarb, you could try using the egg as Jayne suggested for the sake of experimentation, just boil an egg cut it up ( it oxidises really quickly if the egg is hot) and place the piece you want to oxidise in with it in a bag or box dont leave to long as the piece will go black you just want it to go slightly tarnished i guess. You might even like the look of the piece once it has been oxidised lol x)

[MuranoSilver]

I use platinol. It's a nasty chemical but you can apply it with a toothpick into the creases.
Once it's black wash it off and you don't have so much cleaning off of the rest to do.
nic x

[The Dragon]

And if a tooth pick is a bit large you can always use a sacrifical bit of wire if you have a steady hand.

[lucy81]

I use liver of sulphur (though the boiled egg method is probably cheaper, I have never tried the other alternatives).

Oxidising Solution 500 Ml Un2818c - Cooksongold.com

Dilute the liver of sulphur in warm water (follow instructions for the right quantities) and drop your piece into the mixture. It doesn't take too long for it to all go black. Then you just buff with soft wire wool and polish it up on the outside, the crevices will remain black

[glen]

heat will cause oxidation in most metals (especially a flame with a high oxygen content) , i have used enamel for a nice glossy finish, or buy oxidation fluid, I have also heard that lemon or orange can cause oxidation too, I never knew about the egg thing

[mizgeorge]

I use both platinol and liver of sulphur (I find the results differ a lot between the two). You can now get a LoS gel, which has a much better shelf life than the powdered or liquid version and is extremely easy to use.

I happily oxidised with an egg for a long time though.

[mizgeorge]

Very refained of you JJ (in best Hyacinth Bucket accent).

Yes. That's the stuff. Stinky but effective.

[Boo]

I have also heard that lemon or orange can cause oxidation too,

I suspect that you're swapping that round - lemon juice should remove it. I use citric acid as a pickle - which is the raw acid in citrus fruits - as you probably figured. I have pickled with a lemon before today - it certainly works, if not very practical.

[bustagasket]

I am sure a chick in my college class used liver of sulphur to oxidise her slits.

That really doesnt sound right