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The
traditional jewelers' pickle is a chemical
called sodium bisulphate. I was taught to
use a sodium bisulphate product called Sparex
in my jewelry work. Sodium bisulphate is
also packaged as a Ph balancing pool chemical.
Sodium bisulphate works well as a pickle,
but it's a byproduct of making hydrochloric
acid and is a hazardous chemical. It gives
off toxic fumes when mixed with water (even
if the water is not heated), and because
it's a highly corrosive chemical, it must
be carefully neutralized before disposing
of it. I never felt comfortable using sodium
bisulphate, but I didn't question it because
it's what my very first teacher showed me
and what everyone else I'd known in the business
used.
Up until the last couple of years, I routinely recommended sodium bisulphate as a pickle....but not anymore. I try to limit my exposure to toxic substances and I also don't want my personal activities to harm the environment. If there is a natural alternative to a toxic product, I want to use it. My search for a safe pickle led me to formulate Silver-Prep. It's an all natural pickle mix that I have blended especially for home jewelers and metal clay artists. Compared to sodium bisulphate, Silver-Prep actually works faster for removing oxides from sterling silver, is safe to use, organic and completely non-toxic. It does cost more than sodium bisulphate, but it goes a long way and I feel good about using it. It can be saved and re-used again and again, adding water to it as it evaporates. When disposed of, it can be diluted and safely poured down a drain.
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| Sterling silver is first heated with a torch
or in a kiln to oxidize it. The oxidation
is what turns the sterling black. |
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Sterling silver is placed in the SilverPrep
solution to remove the surface oxidation.
The sterling part is then embedded into the
metal clay, or the metal clay can be placed
directly on the sterling silver. Photo shows
unfired metal clay with a sterling earwire
embedded, ready to fire. |
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The sterling and metal clay are fired together
resulting in complete bonding of the metal
clay to the sterling. Pieces containing gemstones
can be fired in place with metal clay and
sterling silver. |
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