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Removing scratches from silver

Author: OpusII
Date: 2005-08-23 12:19

I’m currently overhauling a very old Bb clarinet with some scratches in the silverwork (not very deep ones). Is there a way to easily polish the keywork?

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Re: Removing scratches from silver

Author: ron b
Date: 2005-08-23 16:24

Light buffing with either black or red rouge is, for me, the easiest and quickest way to polish unplated nickel-silver keywork. Do Not try to remove scratches, the surrounding polished surface will subdue them. If you don't have a buffing setup Flitz metal polish does very well. Try not to get the polish in the hinge tubes or pivot receivers. In fact, always do a very thorough cleanup after polishing. On the last personal instrument restoration I did, I rinsed the keys thoroughly in lacquer thinner, then spray lacquered them with Nikolas clear, which I bought in aerosol spray cans from Ferree's. I've been playing the horn for well over a year and the lacquer is still holding up.

I've found that plated keys respond very well to washing (scrub with toothbrush) in Simple Green. Then rub with a cotton clothto bring to a sparkling shine. Old cotton socks work wonders.

[Note to casual readers: These polishing methods are done **prior to re-padding/corking**... with the *pads/cork/felt removed*.]

- r [cool]

n b -

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Re: Removing scratches from silver

Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-08-23 16:58

If the scratch actually goes all the way through the silver to the base metal (which I'm assuming is not silver), there is a liquid available from Caswell Plating Supplies called "Silverplater" (or something like that) which is a do-it-yourself product for applying a very thin silver layer to metals. It's not cheap and doesn't put much metal on, but for scratches it works very well.

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Re: Removing scratches from silver

Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-08-23 20:34

You could try burnishing the scratch out with a highly polished burnisher - I think Ferrees do some fairly inexpensive burnishers with a wooden handle fitted, though they do need to be papered down (with 500, 600, 800 and 1200 grit) and buffed with Hifin or similar to bring up to a mirror finish before you use them - probably around the $10-$20 mark.

After burnishing the scratches (and avoiding putting more scratches in) polish lightly with rouge, degrease and finish with a silvercloth.

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