Two methods of processing silver plated parts compared

[Barthel732]

I have a silver soldered R.Wallace teapot. I removed the solder. Now is this actual real silver? I used an acid test and it doesn’t hit for silver. The teapot does say silver soldered on the bottom. If it is real what’s the best way to recover it pure

 

[galenrog]

From the information you provided, I would assume it is silver plated, or of a silver looking alloy. What other statements or numbers are on the piece?

Clear, distinct, in focus images of all markings would be helpful. But if it only has markings indicating maker, pattern, and silver solder, chances of anything but solder, and possibly plating, containing silver is very low.

Time for more coffee.

 

[Barthel732]

From the information you provided, I would assume it is silver plated, or of a silver looking alloy. What other statements or numbers are on the piece?

Clear, distinct, in focus images of all markings would be helpful. But if it only has markings indicating maker, pattern, and silver solder, chances of anything but solder, and possibly plating, containing silver is very low.

Time for more coffee.

Well I know it was silver plated but that’s all wore down to the base metal. But the very bottom is still silver color with R. Wallace. Silver soldered. 8oz. That’s all the markings it has. I heated the handle joints and the solder came out instantly almost like a lead melt.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

In this case, "silver soldered" is just another designation for silver plated.

Dave

 

[Barthel732]

Ok so then the lead like liquid that came out of the joints is not actual silver solder but just normal lead?

 

[Yggdrasil]

Ok so then the lead like liquid that came out of the joints is not actual silver solder but just normal lead?

More likely Pewter or some Tin alloy.

 

[Barthel732]

More likely Pewter or some Tin alloy.

Ok thank you
I noticed when I put silver test acid on it it turned green. But I did heat the bottom where the writing is and did a drop there and it kinda turned red with acid but not enough to convince me. Doesn’t pewter sometimes test positive as silver too?

 

[Yggdrasil]

Ok thank you
I noticed when I put silver test acid on it it turned green. But I did heat the bottom where the writing is and did a drop there and it kinda turned red with acid but not enough to convince me. Doesn’t pewter sometimes test positive as silver too?

I never heard of that.

 

[Barthel732]

I never heard of that.

I never heard of that.

I actually hear that either in here or on a refining video. I’ve personally never verified it myself but was curious if it’s true

 

[Yggdrasil]

I actually hear that either in here or on a refining video. I’ve personally never verified it myself but was curious if it’s true

Maybe if there is some Silver in the Pewter alloy?

 

[Yggdrasil]

I actually hear that either in here or on a refining video. I’ve personally never verified it myself but was curious if it’s true

Just searched the net, Silver are sometimes used in the Pewter.

 

[Alondro]

Just searched the net, Silver are sometimes used in the Pewter.

Yeah, pewter can have several variations. MOSTLY lead and tin for the old original stuff, but the newer stuff is tin, copper, antimony, and bismuth or silver.

The silver component, however, is typically just 1 to maybe a few percent of the total mass. So it's quite a lot of work and cost to purify silver out of it.

A form of pewter 'Britannia metal' was used as the core of Oscar statues until 2016, when it was replaced with bronze.

 

[manorman]

Well I know it was silver plated but that’s all wore down to the base metal. But the very bottom is still silver color with R. Wallace. Silver soldered. 8oz. That’s all the markings it has. I heated the handle joints and the solder came out instantly almost like a lead melt.

 

[manorman]

Silver Soldered”, sometimes commercially referred to as “Hard Soldered” is a method of joining separate parts of and silver plated pieces, such as handles to tea pots and knife blades to hafts.

Soft solder, usually tin based, is more commonly used for other metals such as lead and is not suitable for silver or nickle silver and copper articles, which are to be silver plated. It has a comparatively low melting point and should not be used for the repair or manufacture of silverwares.

Silver solder, as all solders, needs to have a melting point, lower that the pieces to be joined. It comes in a variety of grades, with Hard Solder having a melting point of 745-779 degrees centigrade. A ounce of typical hard solder will be an alloy of 16dwt fine silver 3dwt 12gr copper and 12gr zinc.