Gold Plated Silverware Set - Any Gold Here?

[kadriver]

I got this at a yard sale for $30. The set weighs about 20 lbs. All gold plated, about 60 pieces. From your experience, can I expect to get any gold from this set?

The base metal is the same in each piece (I do not know what the base metal is yet). I will of course wait until I have read Hoke and gained more experience before trying to get the gold, if any, from this set.

ANY inputs welcome, Thanks - KLS

 

[goldsilverpro]

The base metal is probably magnetic 400 series stainless steel. Check to see if it's magnetic.

I once consulted for a guy that plated 50,000 pieces per day at a gold thickness of 7 to 10 millionths of an inch. I think this is fairly standard for common gold plated SS flatware. If this is plated the same, and the chances are very good that it is in the same ballpark, the gold is worth 9 to 13 cents per square inch of plated area. Unless it is very hard, gold at this thickness can normally be erased with around 2 to 5 strokes of a pencil eraser, using medium hard pressure. Once you can observe white metal, you know that you have cut through the gold. If you don't mind ruining a piece, try the eraser thing on a small area and tell us how many eraser strokes it takes to be able to see white metal. Use good lighting.

 

[lazersteve]

They will strip quickly in a sulfuric cell.

Steve

 

[kadriver]

Hello:

I just got back from my lab and I performed the test you suggested, here are the results:

The first one I did I rubbed it 40 strokes (1 stroke being up once and back)and still could not see a difference.
Then I was putting it back in the box and the light hit it differently and I could see that where I had rubbed it was a silver color.

I repeated the test on another piece. This time it took only about 10 strokes (a stroke being back and forth one time). In the second test the silver showing was smaller by about 50%

Do you think it is worth the chemicals to get it off?

Thanks for your help - KLS (kadriver)

 

[goldsilverpro]

Is it magnetic? I just checked a fork in the kitchen and it's definitely magnetic, but not strongly so. The stainless flatware I spoke of earlier was strongly magnetic. I suppose the base metal could be a white copper alloy, but I doubt it - at least I have never seen gold plated copper flatware.

It's hard to see the white (nickel and/or stainless). You have to check it every couple of strokes. 10 strokes is quite a bit. Maybe it's thicker than I thought or, it could be very hard gold.

It sounds like it could be worth it. I agree with Steve - I would use the sulfuric stripping cell. That's about the only way you have without having to dissolve all that stainless.

I wonder if you could sell it on EBay. It looks unused, since the pieces (except for one) are still in the plastic bags. It just might go for a good chunk of change.

 

[kadriver]

I tested the flatware with a magnet - negative magnetic.

Here is a picture of one piece that had been broken.

Note the cracking in the gold plate on the photo on the right.

I want to thank you all for taking the time to guide me.

When the time comes, can I use the Liquid FIre sulfuric acid to process this lot, or do I need to order some chemically pure form of sulfuric acid.

Also, building a cell to reclaim gold sounds interesting.

Is that propceedure available on any of Steve's DVDs?

 

[jimdoc]

I think you can watch the cell videos on his website,there is also
lots of info on the forum about building and using a cell.

Jim

 

[wade brenckle]

I just did this same test, the piece was vey\yr magnetic with a hd magnet. But after more than 50 strokes nothing came off. very bright gold plate, tested with 10k gold test solution. No reaction after 45 seconds. Cant understand that, says it contains nitric and muratic! AR? Also did same test with a silver plated set. Not magnetic nothing rubed off, but the gold test did act fast at eating away! In both rubs, the eraser turned black is all. Is the silver worth doing?