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Silver Stripping

I'm trying to strip silver off 304 SS rack tips. I've heard that concentrated nitric acid is the answer but am unsure of how to go about the process. I've been told that I can reclaim the silver by adding hydrochloric (strength? amount?) to precipitate out the silver, then remove silver by filtration. Would the tank need to be dumped and recharged with nitric to effectively strip every time hydrochloric is added? I know that nitric will eat copper... the spline of my racks are copper, but they are well coated.

Please offer any assistance.

[name removed at request]
- South Carolina, USA

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You don't need hydrochloric acid, just a high level of chloride ion to precipitate out the silver as silver chloride. I suggest you use nitric acid with additions of sodium chloride. Add nitric acid as required. When the bath becomes sluggish despite further acid additions, add more sodium chloride, collect the precipitation and dump the rest.

Happy Days.

John Tuohy
- Ireland