Brian,
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Guido's method also include table salt in the solution?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Guido's method also include table salt in the solution?
New Baking Soda & Aluminum Foil Trick Photo Tutorial for Restoring Silver Razors
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Good question, Harry. I can't remember. I don't think it did. I don't know anything about chemistry, but I would assume that the salt would only facilitate a more rapid boiling of the water. But I'll try to find that post that is long buried to see if it mentions anything.
ugh... I wrote a 44 page research paper about this process. I don't know why I didn't think to try this with my silver single ring.
Salt would work just as well. The purpose of the baking soda or salt is to create an electrolyte solution. Pure water doesn't conduct electricity, but once you add any kind of soluble ionic compound, it does. The process that removes the silver is essentially a tiny battery, the tarnished silver being the positive side, the aluminum being (relatively) the negative side. Tarnished silver is silver sulfide, generally, sulfide being a negatively charged ion. Every time a sulfide ion floats from the silver to the aluminum, two electrons jump ship from the aluminum to the silver.
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Very interesting. Thanks for the information. So, would a combination of salt and baking soda produce better results?
Not necessarily. The chemistry is complex, but there is merit to using baking soda over table salt. A more concentrated solution may allow the reaction to proceed more quickly, though.
Gents
I used this method on my Tuckaway this morning.
Even though it was in pretty good shape beforehand there was a marked improvement after giving it two baths.
However, when I gave it a polish after the baths there was still some black coming off on my polishing cloth suggesting that some tarnish still remains.
Is this normal or do I need to keep using this method until no black appears on my polishing cloth?
Thanks
Paul
I used this method on my Tuckaway this morning.
Even though it was in pretty good shape beforehand there was a marked improvement after giving it two baths.
However, when I gave it a polish after the baths there was still some black coming off on my polishing cloth suggesting that some tarnish still remains.
Is this normal or do I need to keep using this method until no black appears on my polishing cloth?
Thanks
Paul
It wasn't Guido who mentioned salt, it was this article in the wiki I now remember reading some time ago. And it calls for the use of borax instead of baking soda in solution.
Any chemists out there who can compare/contrast the two methods?
Any chemists out there who can compare/contrast the two methods?
Even the purest silver will be black when removed with polish. The tiny particles produced during the polishing process have a huge surface area to volume ratio, and as a result tend to oxidize/tarnish very quickly. Another interpretation of the black resultant is simply a change in the crystal structure of the metal. Silver shines because of the "sea of electrons" model, which describes metallic surfaces fairly well. The electrons in a metal move freely, essentially becoming a random field of free electrons. This tends to reflect light pretty well. It is theorized that a uniformly dense field of electrons would be a near perfect mirror. As a result of destroying the large metallic surface, breaking it down in to microscopic pieces, the "sea of electrons" model no longer applies.
There shouldn't be any difference between the methods. The process is the same, and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and borax (sodium borate) are chemically similar in that they both produce a basic buffer solution which allows for the movement of sulfide ions between the plating material and the aluminum, as well as the transfer of charge between the aluminum and the plated object. I would imagine that borax might be more effective, though, as it acts as a detergent as well as an electrolyte. They have approximately the same pH, the same solubility, and neither will harm the plating on your razor.
Correct. The method I have used does not use salt.
I hope this is a question that could help others.
I bought a Hoffritz Slant witch is one of the Merkur chess piece razors that's white and silver now the white isn't paint but electro platting their seems to be tarnish on the white will this process clean this or damage the platting?
Thanks
I bought a Hoffritz Slant witch is one of the Merkur chess piece razors that's white and silver now the white isn't paint but electro platting their seems to be tarnish on the white will this process clean this or damage the platting?
Thanks
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Nice write up, first I've heard of this process. Now how do I know if I have nickle plated razor or not?
I tried this method on my 1919 Bulldog but I used Washing Soda (Sodium Carbonate). I read online that it works better? It bubbled furiously and turned the water almost black and started disintegrating the foil and made a big mess. I didn't see much of a difference BUT I didn't leave it in 15 minutes or do it multiple times. Next time I will. (Must keep looking for razors!) 
Thanks for the guide.
Thanks for the guide.
Just saw this, very cool. I have an old razor I'm going to try this with.
So what happens if you use this method with a non-silver razor?
I'm assuming nothing?
It won't damage another type of plating will it?
Just thought while I was trying the old razor I might throw another one in for the heck of it.
Thanks!
So what happens if you use this method with a non-silver razor?
I'm assuming nothing?
It won't damage another type of plating will it?
Just thought while I was trying the old razor I might throw another one in for the heck of it.
Thanks!
I read about this years ago in Mr. Wizard book, but I think his recipe involved table salt too...you are basically creating a battery where the silver sulfate moves from the silver onto the foil through the mild acid solution, according to Mr Wizard anyways.
Great tutorial!!
Great tutorial!!
I wish I had been patient enough to take before and after pics.
This works really well.
Three or four 'baths' in a row, a little brushing, WOW it's amazing!!
I used baking soda, salt, and nearly boiling water- fresh foil each time.
This works really well.
Three or four 'baths' in a row, a little brushing, WOW it's amazing!!
I used baking soda, salt, and nearly boiling water- fresh foil each time.
I don't have any silver razors, only chrome and brass/copper or whatever the gold colored ones are.
I was wondering if you could modify this procedure to use a different sheet of metal to improve the finish of the non-silver razors.
Sorta like a quickie replating.
Probably another one of my hair-brained ideas.
I was wondering if you could modify this procedure to use a different sheet of metal to improve the finish of the non-silver razors.
Sorta like a quickie replating.
Probably another one of my hair-brained ideas.
I had most of this information posted before, but the linked photos were to a personal album on the site, which was deleted in one of the upgrades. So, I decided I'd repost a new thread as I can't edit the old one to reinsert the new photos. Plus, some good information came out of the discussion in the old thread and I thought it would be good to include in the new one.
I’ve posted before about the wonders of the baking soda and aluminum foil trick for restoring tarnished silver razors, but I thought it might be helpful to have a photo tutorial. I first read of the idea in a post by AsylumGuido in a thread long buried. In more recent threads, Len (Oldguy) and T Rick wrote more about it. This thread is an attempt to distill some of the wisdom put forth by them accompanied by some photos. The material and information isn’t new, but I thought a photo tutorial might be helpful. And if not, there are some good before/after photos of my new Bulldog.
DISCLAIMER: This process work greats for restoring your tarnished silver razors. But I wouldn’t recommend it for razors with more ornate and intricate designs such as the American Button Company (ABC) Empire, Floral, or Scroll design. On razors with ornate designs like these, I think it looks best to only polish the intricate design that sits higher than the rest of the razor and leave the tarnish in the recessed areas. If you are trying to achieve this look, don’t use this process. It will remove tarnish everywhere the water touches, which given the nature of water, is the entire razor, including the recessed portions. But if you want to remove every last little bit of tarnish, this is the process for you.
Onto the process itself…
What You Will Need:
-A silver razor that is tarnished, which you want to restore. For the process to work, it needs to be a razor plated in silver. It will not work as intended on nickel plated razors. Also, it is probably a good idea to clean up the razor as much as possible with regular dish soap and scrubbing bubbles before beginning the process.
-A watertight container big enough to hold the razor and that can withstand boiling water
-A pot or pan to boil water in
-Aluminum foil
-Baking soda
-Water
The Process Itself:
2) While you are waiting for the water to boil:
(a) Line the container that you have chosen with aluminum foil
(b) Place the razor inside of the container that has now been lined with aluminum foil.
If there is any information that you think should be added, then let me know and I'll edit the post.
Do you think there is any reason you can't use an aluminum pot or pan, instead of aluminum foil??
It seems to me that the chemical reaction would be the same.
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