Silver Filigree Work - Cleaning Methods?

Battara · 23rd July 2013, 11:41 PM

OK first of all, unless the silver is black or very brown, please don't use paste! Things like paste and Tarnex (

) will only eat into the soft silver, even dull a nice finish.

Instead use a "Sunshine Cloth" which you may be able to get from a jeweler or a jewelry supply store, etc. Lots of elbow grease, but it may restore the damage and certainly will not scratch or eat into the metal. It is specifically made for silver, gold (not often needed), copper, brass, and other soft metals (not much for steel, platinum, etc).

Filigree is hard to clean as you know (I do it all the time) and some places within the filigree will not shine because it is beyond reach (even with special tools, some spots may still be tough to reach).

23rd July 2013, 11:41 PM	#1
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,280	OK first of all, unless the silver is black or very brown, please don't use paste! Things like paste and Tarnex ( ) will only eat into the soft silver, even dull a nice finish. Instead use a "Sunshine Cloth" which you may be able to get from a jeweler or a jewelry supply store, etc. Lots of elbow grease, but it may restore the damage and certainly will not scratch or eat into the metal. It is specifically made for silver, gold (not often needed), copper, brass, and other soft metals (not much for steel, platinum, etc). Filigree is hard to clean as you know (I do it all the time) and some places within the filigree will not shine because it is beyond reach (even with special tools, some spots may still be tough to reach).