Can you anneal silver plate

Reply to author. Report message as abuse. Show original message. Either email addresses are anonymous for this group or you need the view member email addresses permission to view the original message. Is it possible to anneal silverplate as in spoons and such without damaging the surface? Thanks Jenny. Hello Jenny; I would strongly advise against attempting to anneal silverplate.

The plating, in most cases, is thick relative to plated costume jewelry, but still microscopically thin. Silver spoons, forks and knives are unexpected materials with which to fashion jewellery.

They make an impact, however, when they are removed from the traditional table setting in which they are most commonly seen and worn as adornments. Obtain silver utensils that are made of solid silver, rather than silver-plated base metal. Note that solid silver utensils lend themselves to the process of heating, cutting and bending much better than silverware made of silver-plated base metal.

Select a silver utensil that will make an appealing piece of jewellery. Consider using an antique silver spoon, which has soft, curvy lines that make it suitable for wearing against the skin. Opt for a piece of silverware that features an attractive embellishment, such as flowers or vines. Heat, or anneal, the silver utensil by using a butane or propane torch. Annealing is a process that makes silver more pliable and easier to bend into new forms. Position the silverware on a heat-safe work surface.

Move torch's flame back and forth over the surface of the utensil. Join Date Sep Posts 1, Would the nickel regulations come into play? Would it be illegal to sell? Author: Pearls A Practical Guide www.

You can still buy it as cutlery comes up at auctions all the time, is the law different for jewellery. The law applies to anything which comes into contact with skin. Which cutlery would when cutlery or re-made into jewellery Buying it as is as an antique might exempt it. But changing it would, I suspect, make it come under the regs. Given REACH is concerned with amongst many other things the release of nickel, if the item is plated - as undamaged EPNS is - then it's encapsulated and cannot release.

If the plating is damaged or missing then there's nothing to prevent it. I'm pretty sure my Swann Morton scalpel handles are nickel silver. Can't remember if they're plated or not.