About Metals

Brass and Copper

Brass is an alloy of copper and Zinc. Two parts of copper usually are used to one part of zinc. Oxidation causes brass and copper to darken and lose its luster. Tarnish on brass and copper can be removed by simply polishing the metal with a metal cleaner. (Brasso is recommended..) Heavy corrosion on brass and copper, cannot be properly polished without the proper skills and tools. Front doors hardware on most homes has lots of brass, mostly tarnished. It is almost impossible for the average home owner to successfully return their front door hardware to its original luster.

Another problem in polishing your brass and copper is the fact that it has a protective finish which has broken down. These finishes are known as lacquer and clear coat. If you do not remove the coating, you will not make much of a difference in the appearance of your piece, because what your polishing is the coating, and not the brass or copper. Removing lacquer should be left to skilled melalcrafters who have the proper facilities, and chemicals to work safely.

Brass and copper do not have to always be highly polished. Classic Butler, Antique, Patina and Oxidized finishes are other choices offered at Greenwich Metal Finishing. To apply a dull/mat finish at home, simply use a metal polish (Brasso) combined with Triple-O steel wool and rub gently until a desired finish is achieved.

Plated Brass or Copper

Plated articles should not be confused with solid brass or copper. In brass and copper plated items, a coating has been applied to another metal usually steel but sometimes white metal (also known as "pot metal"). A test is to scratch the bottom and if there is white coming through, it is not brass or copper. Another test is to use a magnet. If the magnet sticks, it is not brass or copper. The care of replated brass and copper is very similar to silver with regards to polishing, however, never apply too much pressure.

Pewter

On pewter, many of our clients prefer to leave a dull gray patina. In the case of a low-luster pewter, soap and water washing is the most maintenance its finish will ever need.

If you need to remove staining or prefer a more satin finish, light rubbing with Triple-O steel wool is recommended. It is very important to rub your piece in a specific direction, so that you achieve an even finish.

Pewter if polished by a skilled metal crafter looks very similar to sterling, however, this finish is not as popular as is the dull patina finish.

Silver

Sterling silver is a term used to specify that the metal contains at least 925 parts of silver to 75 parts to copper. Pure silver is rarely used, as it is too soft. The term "Sterling" is derived from and English penny, coined in the Middle Ages. "Sterling" became the standard for British coins.

Wash your silver promptly after each use with hot suds. Rinse in hot water and dry immediately. If you follow this procedure, you won't have to polish often. When using your silverware, rotate it in daily use so that the finish will mellow uniformly. Dust ornamental pieces regularly and wash them once a week to keep them bright. Silver does not need to be polished each time it is cleaned.

There are several methods of cleaning tarnished silver but hand rubbing with a silver polish (GODDDARD'S, HAGERTY'S CAPE COD AND WRIGHT'S ALL MAKE VERY GOOD HAND POLISHES) and soft cotton towel is best. Do not use terry cloth, as it will scratch your silver. At Greenwich Metal Finishing, we only use soft diapers when we hand polish. To polish your silver, take your time and do it carefully. The use of soft Q-Tips and a horsehair toothbrush can aid in polishing very ornate pieces. We recommend washing your flatware in warm water prior to eating.

Acid Dips

Caution should be observed when using an acid dip. They ruin some finishes and damage stainless steel knife blades as well as other materials if allowed to contact them. This is because they contain a very strong corrosive acid. We do not recommend the use of acid dips on any metals, and also beware of all the advertised cleaners you see on TV. There is no secret to keeping your silver looking perfect.

Dull or Satin Finish Silver

Dull or Satin finish silver becomes bright after many polishings. There is no satisfactory method of restoring a satin finish silver at home, this is a skill that should be left for skilled metalcrafters only. At Greenwich Metal Finishing, we offer Butler, Antique and satin finishes if you want it dull again.

Silver Plate

Silver-Plate articles should not be confused with solid silver or sterling silver. In silver plate, a coating of silver has been applied to another metal.

The care for silver plate is the same for solid silver, except that it should be polished, perhaps, with less pressure. Be particularly careful with plate items, or you may burn through the silver and expose the copper or other basecoat. If your silver plate has deep scratches, do not try to polish them out, because the energy required could damage your piece. Sterling silver on the hand can be polished until perfection is achieved; however, this is not a job which can be performed at home. It takes a tremendous amount of skill using the proper tools.

Removing engraving

Removing engraving on plated silver is possible, and done quite often, however the piece must be re-plated. On sterling silver, engraving and deep scratches can be removed and polished to perfection because the piece is solid. At Greenwich Metal Finishing, our craftsmen truly enjoy the beauty of working on sterling because of the level of perfection they are able to achieve.

Proper Storage of Silver

Silver, like gold, is chemically inactive. Which means it doesn't oxidize when exposed to air, but its surface tarnishes from exposure to certain gases in the air. Therefore, if air is kept away, the tarnish is diminished.

Other enemies of silver are pollution, perspiration, table salt, olives, eggs, salad dressing, peas, gas, sulfur, vinegar, fruit juices, perfumes and toilet water. Don't let any of these come in contact with your silver for long.

Empty silver salt dishes after each use, or the salt will pit them, causing permanent damage.

For silver pieces you don't take out very often, use specially treated flannel bags for storage. Never wrap solver in felt or chamois leather. Both are sources of hydrogen sulfide, a strong tarnish inducer and never wrap silver in old newspaper because the ink will eventually remove silver.

Storing your silver in zip lock bags is an excellent way of preserving your silver, only, if you place a 3M anti-tarnish strip in each bag. This is critical in removing all moisture. Without these strips, moisture will collect, and your silver will tarnish.