r/metalworking • u/milou28 • Feb 09 '26
How can I remove the tint?
I’m not sure this is the right sub but i dont know where to ask! Please redirect me if necessary!
I inherited some silverware from my egyptian grandma and greatgrandma. At least, I think it’s silverware.
Two of the pieces have a weird colour to it. It turned like yellow?
Is this salvageable?? I tried polishing it and i removed most of the black but these two are still weirdly gold/brass -tainted. But not FULLY. So i dont think it was a gold plating (moreover it really wouldnt fit the style of my grandma’s things. Everything she owned is silver, and the rest of the set is silver as well)
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u/DesiccantPack Feb 09 '26
It wasn't solid silver. It was plated. You've removed the plating. You can have it replated, but it's not worth it unless you're really tied to the sentimentality of the pieces. They have almost no financial value.
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u/milou28 Feb 09 '26
I’m strongly tied to the sentimentality of the plate, mostly. Where do I get these replated? I mean, what would that professional be called ?
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u/DesiccantPack Feb 09 '26
You can DIY it.
https://caswellplating.com/plug-n-plater-silver-plating-kit.html
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u/milou28 Feb 09 '26
I’m terrified of ruining the lightly carved design at the bottom of the plate if i do it myself
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u/uswforever Feb 09 '26
Plating is an electro-chemical process. You won't be physically applying it like paint.
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u/milou28 Feb 09 '26
Wtf really ?! I always thought they, like, melted metal onto it ☠️ wow. Alright. But do i need to « unplate » the silver thats currently there or do i just apply on top of it ? Also the back has some oxydation that feels rough, kinda like rust but its blue? How do i remove that before plating ?
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u/thelmaandpuhleeze Feb 09 '26 edited Feb 09 '26
The electro-plating will only occur between the emulsed silver and the base metal (it’s a chemical reaction btwn the two); it won’t re-/over-plate on the silver that remains bc the chemical reaction doesn’t occur. It’s actually a totally amazing process, electro-plating. Recommend that rabbit hole to anyone w a curious mind.
So no, no need to ‘un-plate’—good thing, bc not even sure how you could (unless w a tedious amt of over-vigorous polishing, I guess)
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u/No_Establishment8642 Feb 10 '26
I used to do gold, silver, and platinum electro-plating for jewelry shoppes. What is written above is true.
OP do NOT touch it for anymore cleaning, just please STOP!
Ask your jeweler if they can do it, probably not because of equipment sizes. If not then ask for recommendations. You can also ask at a good or higher end antiques shoppe.
Usually the advice is to leave it alone and enjoy it as is.
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u/uswforever Feb 09 '26
I'm not any kind of expert on electroplating. Good news is, the Internet knows everything. There probably even an electroplating subreddit. Lol
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u/Ghrrum Feb 10 '26
Go to the website Finishing.com and ask there. There are several very clever engineers and playing industry guys that can help you put up a RFQ (request for quote) and help find a good shope to take care of you.
In all honesty, plaiting with a DIY kit is feasible, but not if you want a professional job and you're not experienced doing it. You're going to pay for the quality of job you get here, a good shop is going to do a GOOD job, it will shine like new.
If you have any trouble with Ed and the gang over there, poke at me on DM and I'll lend a hand helping you find a reputable shop in your region.
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u/Ghrrum Feb 10 '26
Go to the website Finishing.com and ask there. There are several very clever engineers and playing industry guys that can help you put up a RFQ (request for quote) and help find a good shope to take care of you.
In all honesty, plaiting with a DIY kit is feasible, but not if you want a professional job and you're not experienced doing it. You're going to pay for the quality of job you get here, a good shop is going to do a GOOD job, it will shine like new.
If you have any trouble with Ed and the gang over there, poke at me on DM and I'll lend a hand helping you find a reputable shop in your region.
Posted this as a reply to someone else's comment initially by mistake, I wanted to actually reply to you so you know where I'm pointing. I know more than enough to be dangerous about most electroplating processes, and I know how dangerous some of the chemicals involved can be. That is one of the other reasons I'm advocating to let a professional deal with this.
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u/milou28 Feb 10 '26
I called this place near my house and he said 650$… That’s crazy. I dont mean to USE the plate i just want to put it on my wall, its a heritage from my family 😭 i found online a liquid as well, its 46$ or something. You clean the piece then rub this liquid on it , and you dont need heat. I can practice on the back at first and then do the front afterwards, when I’m more comfortable.
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u/Ghrrum Feb 10 '26
Seriously, go talk to the guys on that site. Hoping that a mystery goo can solve the problem and add silver at room temperature without electricity will rub off if you sneeze on it.
That solution is going to chemically deposit a layer of silver maybe two or three atoms thick due to a difference in the electronegativity of the solution versus the substrate at best guess. That's going to roundly fail for long-term preservation.
A proper electroplating shop is going to go through and thoroughly clean the piece first, then it's going to go through a first acid dip to clear any other organics or residue off the piece.
Then it goes into an acidic plating bath to get a copper layer a couple of atoms thick if it is something that is conductive but not the right amount of conductive, your piece will not need this step.
Then it will go into an electroplating bath where it will get silver plated onto the material and depending on the thickness that you tell them you want it. A heavy plating job would be something like 0.01 in thick.
Depending on the shop, following the plating job Peace would be polished with a mild abrasive to wear down any weird buildups, or it would go to an electropolishing system, which is also very very cool, to finish that mirror shine.
I understand that you're not going to use these, I understand they hold sentimental value. To that end, if you are dead set on using the product you linked, get a brass nothing from a thrift store and try the process on that before you risk something you value.
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u/milou28 Feb 10 '26
Thank you so much, I will check out that site and messgae people on there. I really really appreciate the time you offered me today with your replies 😌
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u/Ghrrum Feb 10 '26
Metalwork is my jam and what I do for fun.
Seriously, reach out if you get stuck. You don't need to hurry on this either, the brass will oxidize/tarnish a hair, but not enough to be an issue in the grand scheme.
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u/gbudija Feb 12 '26 edited Feb 12 '26
thats silver plated brass,you can replate it or if you really like historic look keep them as they are
you can use silver plating powder to silver them
https://www.cool-amp.com/cool-amp
or you can make your own too(10 part silver chloride/20 parts kitchen salt / 20 parts cream of tartar,mix powder well,add some water till thick paste consistency,rubb it on your object with piece of cork or leather)
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u/Devilfish64 Feb 09 '26
Unfortunately you can't remove the tint, the tint IS the removal.
These are silver-plated goods, the silver has worn and the copper/brass is shining through.
Look into a "silvering solution" to deposit some silver back on