Plated sterling

Customer: Shorten this new sterling chain
Me: it's marked right but looks plated, no
Customer: I'll check

(three days)

Customer: not plated
Me: fine, I'll do it

(cut chain, move endcap) looks good
drop end in pickle
comes out grey/brown
Grey doesn't want to come off
try peroxide/pickle trick, nothing
try acetone, nothing
try ultrasonic, nothing
try acetone in jar in ultrasonic, nothing
try rouge cloth, shiny grey/brown, no better than nothing.
try fresh pickle, worse.

Now I've got a sterling rope chain that looks like a long, skinny, turd.

Anyone have a suggestion for what to do about this?

-- Carl


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Carl West http://carl.west.home.comcast.net

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"Clutter"? This is an object-rich environment.

Have a scrape on the metal,
find out what it really is. got any bright dip?
Shorten chain,
shine up with glass fibre brush to make it look good
Call customer to collect it
hand back
make normal charge.
Customer responsible for cockup.

"ted.frater" wrote:

Have a scrape on the metal,
find out what it really is. got any bright dip?

Nope, "Brite Dip"? One of the Jewelry cleaner dips?
Got any brand names for the US? (North east)


shine up with glass fibre brush to make it look good

I was thinking 1000 then 1500 grit then polish but I like the glass brush idea.


Call customer to collect it
hand back
make normal charge.
Customer responsible for cockup.

Yup.

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"Clutter"? This is an object-rich environment.

Over the years I've seen a lot of these.
It used to be just charm bracelets, but now I see it on a lot of pieces.
They're chrome plated, I assume to keep it from oxidizing.
If you check it with a magnet, the chain is slightly magnetic.
I check any that are the least bit suspicious, and refuse them .
Silver chains are so cheap that the cost of the repair is more than the cost
of replacement.

Chrome plating can be removed by immersing in 15% Hydrochloric at 150 deg f,
but you need to do it before you torch it.

Paul K. Dickman

Carl West wrote in message ...

Customer: Shorten this new sterling chain
Me: it's marked right but looks plated, no
Customer: I'll check

(three days)

Customer: not plated
Me: fine, I'll do it

(cut chain, move endcap) looks good
drop end in pickle
comes out grey/brown
Grey doesn't want to come off
try peroxide/pickle trick, nothing
try acetone, nothing
try ultrasonic, nothing
try acetone in jar in ultrasonic, nothing
try rouge cloth, shiny grey/brown, no better than nothing.
try fresh pickle, worse.

Now I've got a sterling rope chain that looks like a long, skinny, turd.

Anyone have a suggestion for what to do about this?

-- Carl


If you try to 'reply' to me without fixing the dot, your reply
will go into a 'special' mailbox reserved for spam. See below.


--
Carl West http://carl.west.home.comcast.net

change the 'DOT' to '.' to email me

"Clutter"? This is an object-rich environment.

"ted.frater" wrote:

Have a scrape on the metal,
find out what it really is.

Don't know how to do that. The only testing gear I have is a magnet, acid tests
for karat gold, a diamond/moissonite tester, and a watch battery tester.


shine up with glass fibre brush to make it look good

Worked pretty well, even better after I found a piece of wood that has a groove
in it to hold the chain still. A smooth metal or plastic groove would be even
better, nicer to the brush. (I used up a lot of brush on this thing) Another
tool to make.


Call customer to collect it
hand back
make normal charge.
Customer responsible for cockup.

Customer called and asked what was up. I told him. I gave him the _complete_
rundown on what I'd done and tried and what the usual procedure is and then the
particulars of the pickle solution. He wrote it all down and is going to debate
it with the manufacturer who told him to tell me that it'd be fine.

I still have the untouched bit that I cut off. May need that.

--


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Carl West http://carl.west.home.comcast.net

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"Clutter"? This is an object-rich environment.