Silver Polishing with a Silver Conservator - Tray

I'm a silversmith specializing in silver restoration and conservation. For instructions on silver cleaning and silver polishing, please visit please visit my Care of Silver page at www.hermansilve....

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

I would never thought to use hand sanitizer to remove tarnish and grime off of a silver piece. Very impressive results.

[@vaderladyl]

@ It is just the alcohol in it. Isopropyl alcohol does the same.

[@lorrainebonilla8052]

Jeff you did amazing thank you for sharing you motivarte me to clean my tray.

[@asoooma1991]

Thank you so much 🙏🏻 What if I have silver in there is som paint color in the design how I will clean the gold color without removing the color?

*I've been buying old Sterling souvenir spoons since last year. Many of the "sellers" say they don't clean them because the "buyers" want them toned & tarnished.* *_I think the buyers clean them somewhat, but want some of the dark toning to make the pictures and wording stand out._* *I have an old Towle BOSTON/Faneuil Hall 1773 medium sized spoon (5 inch) that looks like it was coated in a dark, amber, nicotine-looking goo.* *I tried your advice and I just washed it some warm Dawn dish water. There is still some "toning" there, but now I can see some of the details. I'm afraid to go any further with the cleaning.* *I want a "technique" to make some of the HIGH POINTS shiny like silver, but the "nooks & crannies" still look darker. I've seen some old souvenir spoons that say they are "professionally polished" that seem to have that look. Any ideas ?* *Like this spoon:* www.ebay.com/itm/Beautiful-Antique-Baker-Manchester-Sterling-Silver-Chrysanthemum-Floral-Spoon/392592166509?hash=item5b68510e6d:g:hbsAAOSwgFpd7tUn *I've seen people make Coin Rings out of old silver coins. The wipe on a product called "Liver of Sulfur". Then wipe most of it off. This darkens the background, but lets the writing look brighter.* *I think this in irreversible though...? At least for brand new .999 Silver Coins. They can't be restored to their original state. It will ruin the original finish.* *I saw someone using a boiled egg chopped up. You put the silver in a covered bowl w/ the egg and then seal it. You check on how the tarnishing is going.*

[@peterbnelson]

Thank you for this. I just watched a video where the guy used a single small square of cloth to polish an old vase for 10 minutes straight. The cloth was so small and filthy it looked and sounded like steel wool. When that didn't work he set the vase to the polishing wheel. Why he didn't just use the aluminum-foil/baking-soda technique I don't know, since his net result was total removal of patina anyway but his effort was excessive. Anyway, thanks for showing us how it's supposed! to be done.

[@silverestore]

This is why I don't recommend the aluminum foil method... hermansilver.com/care.htm#Electrochemical

[@dorisryan8163]

Simply amazing!

[@Puzzledrev]

Thanks so much. I finally ran out of my stash of Gorhams polish and tried the tinfoil method with a small piece. It took away the tarnish, but the lustre was gone. I tried another polish, but it did the same thing. moan Your method works! Great.

[@lbochtler]

And here i was thinking of cleaning silverware the way i clean electron gun components for electron microscopes. Using a mild polishing compound and lots of manual labor.

[@Bacciagalupo]

Hey Jeff! Thanks for the great video. I was wondering what you would recommend to get the scratches out of the silver tray. Do you have another video on that? Thanks!

[@silverestore]

Ryan, removing scratches should be left to a professional. On solid silver it's possible to polish them out, but the plating on silverplated objects is too thin and would eventually expose the base metal.

[@thomasdelvin3542]

How do you remove scratches? I have a neurotic obsession with perfection or are scratches just normal with silver?

[@gregoryalee2457]

Any recommendation on the brand of hand sanitizer or are they all the same in your opinion? Thanks

[@silverestore]

You can use most any type, just use some non-ammonia glass cleaner to remove an sanitizer residue. Good luck, Jeff

[@scotttrudell6914]

Would you ever use the aluminum foil/baking soda method to clean silver? There seems to be hundreds of videos on line proclaiming how well it works. Seems to be rather a caustic way to clean silver. I tried it once on a cheap piece and it came out dull and discolored. No amount of polishing ever restored it. I may be old school...but I'll stick with silver polish!

[@silverestore]

This is why I don't recommend the aluminum foil method... hermansilver.com/care.htm#Electrochemical

[@theresep7386]

The advice about putting down a towel is important.

[@jacquelinelianlabang5496]

Hi, what's the name of the polish please?

[@silverestore]

Are you talking about Herman's? hermans-silver-polish.com/

[@FranciscoRodriguez-be6ik]

Is that really kasef?

[@MK-ih6wp]

2:34 is my favorite part!

[@PuffBaby]

I need some help I don’t know if you have an instagram to contact. I scored a multihead candlestick holder. Made of zinc silver plated metal from England but someone spray painted it with silver paint. 😭 can I restore it? Without stripping the silver plated zinc? Please explain steps to fix it if possible

[@jagannathprasaddasrapuria1820]

Very nice video

[@MrWhangdoodles]

After you removed the grime, wouldn't it be better to use the electric method?

[@silverestore]

No, it removes too much silver. Are you a silver conseravtor?

[@heathertaylor462]

I am polishing silver forks. Should I keep polishing until there is no black coming off onto the rag/cotton ball? I’m starting to feel like that is never going to happen, and that the polish is somehow creating the blackness!

[@silverestore]

Heather, why don't you send me a few images of the forks and tell me if they're sterling or silverplate. [e-mail]

[@heathertaylor462]

Thanks, I’m emailing you!

[@bethanyanderson1745]

@@silverestore - ahhh geez, I wanted to read your followup answer.

[@cag6294]

Is there anyway to get a vinegar stain off?

[@silverestore]

Try some Wright's Silver Cream on a cotton ball or cotton makeup pad: www.walmart.com/ip/Wright-s-Silver-Cream-8-oz/27139572

[@bittybette]

Thank you for this wonderful and instructive video!

[@jaybell8951]

So what brands of polish and all that should I buy

[@silverestore]

Please refer to my Polish Abrasion Guide... hermansilver.com/silver-polish-abrasion-ratings.htm

[@farukhagwan8577]

Sir how does silver polish on steel utensils. can you tell me? Please video sir

[@silverestore]

I like using Wrights silver paste on stainless.

[@farukhagwan8577]

Sir you is cleaning silver plat. What is it

[@silverestore]

The polish is Herman's: hermans-silver-polish.com/

[@doodscollection]

Nice tips

[@silverestore]

Thank you!

[@tony-ytul9298]

Hi, this video gave me hope. May I ask which polish did you use and where I can buy it? Obviously I thank you for Linking your site address, the tips are very useful!

[@vaderladyl]

Blitz Silver Shine Polish

[@silverestore]

If you're referring to Herman's, you can find it here: hermans-silver-polish.com/

[@mohammadrezaurrahman8465]

May i name of the polish please!

[@silverestore]

Blitz Silver Shine Polish.

[@TDMMoreThanAMovement]

Playback speed 2x much more satisfying to watch. :)

[@silverestore]

To purchase Herman's Simply Clean Collector's Silver Polish, go here: hermans-silver-polish.com/

[@pearlesme8561]

I have a question- my older vintage Tiffany silver isn't tarnishing like my new pieces, can the new items be plated with something? I've had tiffany polish them twice (sent to NY) and they are tarnished again. I use the anti tarnish strips when not wearing pieces. Please recommend a cleaner I can use at home or if I can have these items "plated" in something. Thank you!

[@shable1436]

Pearl Esme your newer peices are either plated with lacquer so it needs to be removed first before cleaning then reapplied or the silver has other base metals in it that tiffany's doesnt

[@silverestore]

Hello Pearl, sorry for the delay as I just noticed your comment. If you're wearing your silver, just, wash it with warm water and a plant-based cleaner then dry immediately. The secret is to keep the body oils and grime off the surface.

[@silverestore]

That's tough to say, but I wouldn't plate them. Try using Meguiar's Quik Wax: hermansilver.com/care.htm#Meguiars

[@lorrainewilliams7896]

Why hand sanitizer, why not just cut to the chase and just use isopropyl alcohol?

[@silverestore]

You can use that as well. Hand sanitizer can be easier to control and less obnoxious is smell.

[@mjay4700]

2:30 is why we all clicked

[@silverestore]

For complete Silver Care instructions, please visit my Silver Care Guide: www.hermansilver.com/care.htm

[@azaflorea7391]

try ciggarette ash's from a ash try ---pretty cool huh? .lol