Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Bronze flatware, is it safe?
My clients are mad about Bronze flatware, the first set they bought was from a chic boutique. After a short time they started showing wear and looks like stainless steel base metal. I am leading them to a vintage set. The question from the lady of the house: Is the Vintage set Dishwasher safe on very top rack away from heat element?
I normally wash flatware & wine glasses by hand. But I do have days off that they fend for themselves. Thank you.
Professional House Man, Butler - Vancouver Washington USA
March 6, 2022
A. Hi Clayton. I think the problem is more related to the alkalinity of the detergent than to the temperature or agitation. There might just possibly be a dishwasher detergent that is mild enough, but generally they are extremely alkaline and unsuitable for bronze.
Finding a mild enough one would be a win-win because it will not get things quite as clean, and the value of your washing-by-hand efforts most appreciated.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
March 2022
⇩ Related postings, oldest first ⇩
Q. I purchased bronze flatware in the '70s in Thailand. Is it safe to use?
Guillemette D [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Los Angeles, California
2002
A. Well, bronze should be an alloy of tin and copper, which sounds safe. But I don't know how to be reassured that there is no mercury, lead, or cadmium in this flatware if you don't know the details of its origin. Of course, the same could probably be be said for stainless steel or silver flatware :-)
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2002
A. Well, I wouldn't have any problem eating my dinner off bronze plates but I wouldn't use them as Frisbee's.
Regards,
Richard Guise- Lowestoft, U.K.
2002
A. The earliest nickel-bronze flatware that I know of was made in Sweden in 1914 by a company called Dirigold. They moved to the US and in 1935 the government made them change the name because the metal didn't contain any gold. The resulting name is Dirilyte and they manufactured flatware and hollowware until 1985. It was sold in the best jewelry stores and was quite expensive. I have some Dirilyte and also some Siam/Thai flatware and use it frequently. The Dirilyte company has a web site which sells Dirilyte polish [Dirilyte polish on eBay (affil link)] and offers a refinishing service as well as offering some used pieces of their flatware when it becomes available. Use your flatware in good health.
Alfred B [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Memphis, Tennessee
2002
A. Was it from Bangkok? I was visiting over the Easter weekend and was shown the most wonderful Solid Nickel Bronze Flatware. They were retired military and had purchased the set during the 70's. She had all the paperwork. V United Co. LTD (VU) Solid Nickel Bronze Flatware. The pattern she had was the Pattern "K" King Design. I searched the web this morning and eBay ... only found one set of Nickel-bronze Flatware on Bay which were possibly from the same company but a different pattern. Hope this helps!
Jeanie H [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Arkansas
2004
A. Bronze dishes ("Khamsa") were traditionally used in Nepal (for eating when I was there in the 70's and 80's. Perhaps also Thailand? They look like pie baking dishes, and were made by using sledge hammers to hot forge bronze by hand into molds -- I think of stone. We all sat on the floor to eat at that time (no tables) and eventually the lower rim of the plate would develop a hole from wear from being slid around on the clay floor. We'd send them back to the smith as scrap and get new ones. I ate off them for years without thinking of any danger. Copper and brass cooking pots, in contrast to bronze, must be tinned inside.* Bronze is safe to eat from without tinning. This is in general.....in any individual case there may be something wrong with the metal. Brass is more of a problem, especially if lead has been added to improve machinability (this is normal) and then the brass becomes scrap and gets reprocessed into flatware....
My impression is that the Thai bronze flatware is probably safe, but I am not absolutely sure. Maybe you should send a tiny bit to an analytical chemistry lab for testing. It might cost $20 US, I would think.
* Tinning -- lining the inside of brass and copper cooking vessels with smeared on tin plate. The tin layer wears out periodically, and in Nepal there were itinerant tinners who went door-to-door offering retinning. When the tin wore through we'd hire one of these guys. He'd build a wood fire in the front yard, heat the pots and wipe on the new tin plate with some sort of rag. Tin's melting point is very low, so this is feasible. The pots last indefinitely, but retinning is done, I think every two or so years; I am not sure of the exact period involved.
Mathew N [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2004
Q. I was wondering if there was such a thing as brass flatware?
My mother swears that is what her mother had and I have never heard of it. Can you eat off it? Can you put it in the dishwasher?
hobbyist - Key West, Florida
2005
A. I have a set of bronzeware that was purchased in Thailand during the Viet Nam War. I gets very water spotted in the dishwasher so I wash it by hand. I use a bronze cleaner to polish it but I have also used a silver cleaner as silver is soft so the cleaner is not abrasive. Good Luck
Janet Young- Tallahassee, Florida
2006
Q. Brasso doesn't really shine my Thai bronzeware, What does? Is there a product which will restore to my set of bronze dinner ware the shine it had when I bought it years ago in Thailand?
I've tried Brasso and it does little. I even dipped some of it in a silver cleaner solution, with no result. Copper cleaner also didn't work.
hobbyist - Chevy Chase Maryland USA
2007
A. James,
There are hundreds of brands of metal polishes and while each one does not operate on its own separate principles, there are several general types. Brasso is one "type", and it creates a beautiful warm glow but is terribly slow on heavy tarnish. Other types, perhaps because they contain sulfamic acid, work way faster and easier, although the result may not be quite as warm. I would suggest Revere Copper Cleaner ⇦this on eBay [affil links] because it is made for the very heavy tarnish you get on copper-bottom pots; it is really fast.
If that doesn't do it, then the problem is probably not tarnish but the fact that the surface is no longer mirror smooth. If that is the case then it needs to be power buffed. You can send it to a plating shop for that or you can try to do it yourself with a buffing wheel and buffing compounds, or on the cheap with a buffing pad in a power drill and Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . Good luck with it!
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
A. There are brass trays, some of which look like flatware. A lot are exported from India, and I've also seen them in Egypt...Probably they run from Morocco east to Bangladesh.
I have seen people put food on them to serve, but I think it is a dangerous idea to eat off them. Beside the traditional problems from pure Copper/Zinc alloys -- that is, Brass-- , I worry particularly about the fact that since the industrial revolution lead has been and is very often added to brass to improve it's machinability. The lead does not actually dissolve into the alloy, but remains segregated in tiny globules I have read. The problem is that with use, particularly if a knife and fork are used and food is cut on the plate, you may end up ingesting this lead in small amounts. Particularly for infants and children, lead is very toxic and even an infinitesimal intake seems to have damage the intellect. Adults can tolerate more, but it is never a good idea to put this capacity to the test. If you eat with your hands, without cutlery, or with wood chopsticks there's probably less, but still significant, risk.
I used to be a crafts designer in India and the supply of brass to the tray makers there is from mixed scrap. The lead containing brass is melted down and enters the market mixed with non-leaded (this is rare) brass. So if you use the trays to eat off directly, you're asking for trouble. No one in India eats from them.
So the conclusion would be that the most likely explanation is that the flatware your mother refers to was bronze but she mistakenly thought it was brass. The two can look very similar, and most people would not recognize bronze when they see it. I have heard bronze can be hot forged (like iron) while brass normally cannot, so if the item is forged rather than cast it may be the former. The other possibility was that the flatware really was brass but was meant either to be decorative, or was a tray rather than a dish.
If it's brass, or conceivably could be, don't eat off it directly.
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2007
Q. Hi,
How can I tell if the flatware I have is brass or bronze? I inherited quite a large set of flatware, forks, knives, etc. The color is definitely the color of brass. However, unlike brass, it is quite heavy. The handles are very thick, look pounded and a deity is applied or carved near the top of the handles.There are no markings on the rear. It is beautifully made, no rough edges and very well balanced. It was tarnished and cleaned up easily with "Brass and Copper Cleaner". Does bronze shine as highly as brass and have that gold color?
How do I find out what it is? Would it be foolish to use it to eat with?
Thank you,
home owner - Scottsdale, Arizona
2007
A. Unfortunately, no one is going to be able to advise you, sight unseen, what the composition of this flatware is based on a verbal description of what it looks like to you, let alone whether it would meet your personal sense of safety, Marcy. Mathew's replies are very enlightening though.
You might find a jeweler or a scrap dealer who has a alloy sorter / scrap sorter ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] X-Ray fluorescence testing machine which could instantly analyze whether there is any lead in it, and whether it is brass or bronze. But, speaking for myself, if it is obviously expensive and a well made thing of beauty, I'd use it.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
January 8, 2008
Q. I just purchased 2 large sets of vintage Thai flatware, from two separate sellers on eBay . I am fairly certain they are Thai in origin and were described as being from the 50's to the 70's. After reading this thread, I am concerned they might be brass or have lead in them.
The metal is a brassy gold color, feels a bit heavier than stainless pieces, but the smaller pieces (desert forks) are easy to bend and I snapped one in two easily. The interior was also gold in color. Also none of the knives are particularly sharp. They go through the dishwasher easily and when left in water have not tarnished so far.
They look well done otherwise with a three headed elephant on each item's handle and a finial on top. The larger serving pieces feel quite heavy as well. Each set is about 144 pieces and comes in a wooden lined box and appear to be identical to each other.
Do these sets sound familiar to anyone and can anyone vouch for their safety or lack of it? Or does anyone know of Thai fabrication methods that ever utilized lead in their flatware?
Thanks!
- San Rafael, California
February 15, 2008
A. This is in response to Leslie H's query concerning the 3 headed Elephant bronze flatware from Thailand. I received mine (the same set, wooden box and 144 pieces) in 1968 from my brother who was in Bangkok on R&R during the war. I have never felt safe with it and have not used it but it is beautiful. I have the same concerns as you. If you hear anything else about it, please write again. Mine is stamped THAILAND on the back of each piece. Each piece is hand carved.
Cathy V [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]Rifle, Colorado
August 24, 2009
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Q. I am in Australia and have recently acquired a flatware setting for 6, 'Siam' Wooden inserts with gold metal. I am unsure of the metal, and after reading this thread now have my doubts. These also carry a royal crown mark on the back of each piece and the word ROVAMATIC. My husband's family have a similar set from Malaysia purchased in the 60's and they say theirs is Bronze. It polished up very well, but some pieces have evidence of tarnish and pitting. Does bronze pit ? Any info would be welcome. Q. I have a set of nickel bronze flatware from my great uncle. He was with the U.S. Embassy for many years. He was in Laos, Vietnam, China, USSR, etc. This set came from overseas, but not sure where. It is a six person set in a box. The sleeves have written in English "Solid Nickel Bronze." There is some writing that is not English. The mark on the back of the pieces has two squares arranged so that it looks kind of like the star of David. Inside this square is a ........ C Q. What can you tell me of nickel bronze Thailand culinary set. Have a set that has a goddess sitting on an elephant at the top of the spoons.
- Anasco, Puerto Rico July 21, 2008 Q I have been curious about the same type of set with "Thailand" and "Siam" markings. At least I now know I'm not alone in my question. Hi, folks. This site focuses on industrial metal finishing. As we drift towards hallmarking, we're getting off topic. There are tens of thousands of hallmarks pictured in books, and even if lightning struck and someone happened to remember one out of those tens of thousands, it could be counterfeit anyway. Requests for valuation also frequently smell of offers to sell ... and since we don't have 1/1000 of the bandwidth to act as a Craigslist or eBay , we must discard any posting asking for valuations. Please go to an antiques dealer for that. Thanks! Regards, Ted Mooney, P.E. Striving to live Aloha finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey July 21, 2008 |
A. In case this helps, we've had a set of bronzeware from Thailand for 35-40 years and we're still very healthy. The bronzeware still is beautiful also!
Linda Frazier- Moscow, Idaho
July 30, 2008
A. Thanks, Linda. I agree. In today's world, while no one was minding the store, we tacitly accepted that it would be perfectly fine to suddenly move directly into massive importing of uninspected food from every hovel of the world. We've all seen the consequent major outbreaks of salmonella, listeria, and e-coli multiple times a year; we've heard about the rodent hair and feces in many ground spices.
We also decided that we could save money by just mixing everything up into one batch, so any given bag of brussel sprouts might contain sprouts from five different areas, with the result that it takes months instead of days to track down these outbreaks of food poisoning.
So I am FAR less concerned with what is in my fork than what is on it :-)
Worrying about the dangers of flatware sounds to me akin to fretting over whether you increase your chance of being hit by lightning if you text while driving :-)
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
August 1, 2008
This thread is fantastic! I was looking at purchasing a set of brass Thai flatware, and yes, I think I will! You nailed it with the food importation logic for me......um, the pesticides and toxic run-off that is used to WATER the foods we now import probably does pose more of a threat! Fantastic site with fun, knowledgeable people!
- Tacoma, Washington
December 28, 2008
A. I was in Bangkok, Thailand on R&R from Vietnam. I purchased a set of Bronze Flatware and have used it many, many times. It is still beautiful. Mine was purchased from the factory store. When the dealer was demonstrating or showing me the set I purchased. He told me to pick a piece and he took it to a saw and cut in two pieces to show it was solid bronze. My set came in a three drawer box also. Use yours and enjoy them as we have.
CW3 Richard Jackson
US Army Retired
- Indio, California
August 31, 2009
Q. I too have a wooden box of flatware that has 3 wooden levels stacked inside full of flatware. I wasn't sure what metal it was, my father brought it back from Vietnam over 45 years ago and there is a tag in the upper left hand corner of the box that reads Star of Thailand Factory 327.329 Silom Rd. Bangkok, Thailand. I now believe it's solid bronze and not gold or gold plated silver. It has always been in this box and never used. it needs a good cleaning and I'm not sure what to clean it with. any advise will be great. also, I've looked for the address in Thailand on the web and can't find anything, please help.
Lee Wilder- Arlington, Texas
December 31, 2009
Q. We also have a three tier wooden box of flatware from Thailand, My father bought this in 1969 from AA Jewelry Udorn Thailand this is brass also and we can't find the company and are interested in finding info about this fine collection.Thanks
Lee Barbee Jr- North Carolina
January 18, 2010
A. I've lived many years in Thailand on the local economy and as a US diplomat from the 1970's through the 2000's and have seen the flatware sets in stores all that time. They have been a mainstay item for sale to tourists since at least the 1960's if not earlier. They were a high quality item which the Thai could produce by combining their flair for design with their then limited industrial capability which could be sold for a good profit through an extensive network of high end retail outlets located in hotels, jewelry stores, etc. I love the writer's story about the salesman cutting the spoon in half to show it was solid bronze! The kind of real salesmanship the Chinese-Thai merchants are famous for! I have many Thai friends who own some of the 8 or 12 place sets which have never been used or have been used only on only the most special occasions. This is a Thai characteristic of giving things value out of proportion to their real worth as some of these friends are quite wealthy even by US standards and could afford any set they would like. Its along the lines of "it's the thought that counts". As to toxicity, I doubt it. Thais are VERY particular about such things, born hypochondriacs, they are not daring AT ALL about their health, they bathe AT LEAST twice a day to maintain their personal cleanliness, etc. My wife of 30 years is Thai and she won't even take aspirin no matter how badly her head hurts so she would know for sure if it was at all dangerous to use those sets (we have a set we use for birthdays and for guests who are part of our "Thai old hands mafia"). I'd polish them appropriately and of course keep them sanitized by washing in a dishwasher with super hot water and such. Choke Dee (good luck) to all!
Michael Schnittker- Sterling, Virginia
February 22, 2010
A. I just recently polished our bronzeware with Mothers Metal polish. It polishes to a brilliant shine.
Joe Long- Mansfield, Texas, U.S.A.
January 3, 2010
Q. My Thai silverware seems a little tarnished. How do I polish it. I clean them in the dishwasher and dry them right away.
Maria AlbretHobbyist - McLean, Virginia
September 14, 2010
Q. I have bronze flatware purchased in Phoenix about 15 years ago. It has been stored (in a silverware chest) pretty much ever since. I just opened it, and it's in sad shape. It has cherrywood handles, so I don't dare put it in the dishwasher (even if that were the case). So - help!
Judi Moseleyhousewife - Titusville, Florida, USA
October 26, 2010
A. I am retired after having worked in the environmental field for years and I can attest to the fact that the amount of exposure to lead that would lead to real health problems is very high - not nearly what anyone would be exposed to from eating from any flatware that contained SOME lead. You'd have to sit with the fork in your mouth for a very long time to really have a problem. I have a wonderful set of bronze flatware from Thailand - the 1960s - and use it fairly regularly. Still healthy. Don't worry about your flatware.
Karen Coghlan- Jacksonville, Florida, USA
November 16, 2010
Q. I have recently purchased a couple of beautiful brass trays which appear to be hand engraved with a variety of oriental characters including ladies, a bear in oriental dress and birds.
I believe that these designs have a meaning or tell a story but I would love to know more if anyone can help.
hobbyist - England
March 15, 2011
Q. Have an original set of Thai bronzeware which was used occasionally, thoroughly hand washed and dried and box stored. Recently it was used for a couple of dinner parties and put in the dishwasher (on advice of a supposed expert!). The finish has dulled and Brasso doesn't help. Any suggestions to restore the original shine - or at least something to make it look less revolting? Thank you.
Sharon Kapuscak- Glendale, Arizona, USA
July 17, 2011
A. Hi, Sharon.
You probably just need to do heavier polishing than you have been able to do by hand with something as mild as Brasso. Try something stronger like Barkeepers Friend ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . And if that still doesn't do it, try a buffing pad on your battery operated electric drill or on a Dremel ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . Start with a mild polishing compound like Mother's Aluminum and Magnesium polish, and if you're still not getting enough cutting action you'll have to move up to a real buffing compound (these have abrasive particles in them).
In letter 16071, Julie F. from Kalamazoo reported great success with white buffing bar ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] on a bench top grinder -- but I wouldn't recommend such a powerful machine unless you have some experience with it; they can be very dangerous -- flinging a fork at your eye, for example.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
July 18, 2011
A. Hi all,
I am a European (mostly) trained dermatologist (Diplomate of Dermatology, University of Londona; Fellow of the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschienst or the German Academic Exchange Service, University of Hamburg 6 years, Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, etc) and author of two textbooks of Dermatology.
Just wish to inform the visitors of your site that as my subspeciality is Allergology, I can tell you not to use flatware with Nickel.
One may even for years seem "ok", using flatware with nickel but the allergy will just one day pop up.
Bad scene.
Best
- Makati, Philippines
October 25, 2011
A. Thanks, Dr. Huang. Even as a layman I agree that nickel allergy is an acquired problem and a terrible curse.
What are the implications of what you are saying, though? Certainly when the silver plating on flatware wears away and reveals the nickel silver that lies under it, it has a metallic taste, and I can believe that it is leaching nickel to some extent.
But I taste nothing from 18-8 and 18-10 stainless steel (type 304 and 316 stainless steel), and metallurgists tell us that they do not leach nickel and are safe. Do you disagree with that assessment and feel that only 4xx stainless steel (18-0) is safe? Thanks again!
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
January 2012
⇦[this on eBay or Amazon affil links] is the best cleaner/polisher for Thai bronzeware that I've come across.
Veye Nicoise- Syracuse, New York USA
November 20, 2011
Q. Hello out there in flatware question land,
I bought a three tier wooden box of beautiful flatware this summer. I want to use it as our primary utensils. It is from a Co. named Thai Gems Factory in Bangkok. It has beautiful wooden handles and what looks like solid brass metal. Does anyone know if this is safe? I loved reading the thread, and get the general consensus, but maybe you know the company?
Thank you
Heidi
- California, USA
January 25, 2012
Q. I picked up a beautiful set while in Thailand and now I want to know if it is safe to use?
Bronte Erickson- GIG HARBOR, Washington
January 28, 2012
Q. We recently discovered a three tier box of flatware from Thailand in my mothers belongings. It has the name (crown jewelry) engraved on the back of each piece. We are not sure if it is brass or bronze, how can you tell? Does anybody know about this flatware?
Diana Punke- Eureka, Illinois
October 10, 2012
Q. I mistakenly washed part of my set of bronzeware in the dishwasher and it lost quite a bit of its color. Is there a way to restore it to its original finish?
Marilyn Bulli- Boston, Massachusetts USA
October 19, 2012
A. Hi Marilyn. Your question appears to be about the same as asked by Sharon K (July 17, 2011) and my answer would be the same: if you find that working by hand with commercial polishes isn't proving effective, you'll have to polish away the dullness, probably using a Dremel ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] or battery operated drill with a buffing pad & compound. Good luck.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
October 22, 2012
Q. Can you please assist me in buying a full set of flatware as in Ivette Davis- Anasco, Puerto Rico photo posted on the July 21, 2008 of the elephant and the princess. I am from South Africa and would love to buy a full set like that. Please help, I do not have the slightest idea of where to start looking.
Kind regards
Gerhard
- South Africa
November 8, 2012
A. Hi Gerhard.
I have no experience in that either. I would suggest eBay , Craigslist, and a local antique store or auctioneer.
Please recognize that we cannot put readers into contact with each other for propositions like this as we don't have 1/1000 the horsepower in our servers, nor the manpower available, for the huge flood of traffic and spam which that involves. Sorry, but this site is for technical questions and answers, not for commercial contact.
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
November 12, 2012
Q. One of my dinner guest last night snapped (at the neck)his spoon. Its the three headed elephant service I've had for 46 yrs and used 4x per yr. How can it be repaired if at all? By the way, I only put the service in the dishwasher once with the discoloring of the service. I only hand wash it now and polish with Brasso.
John Ford- Sanford, Maine, USA
January 13, 2013
Q. I have a boxed large set in three sections purchased by my late husband probably in the early 1980's, most probably from a hotel gift shop. (We have never used it).
It is stamped on the back Thailand and has wooden handles and I think the figure on the top is a praying god with a figure on either side of him.
The enclosed booklet had S. T. (Thailand) Ltd. Part. which I cannot find on the internet.
The booklet says it is closely and carefully inspected and guaranteed that there is no danger nor harm to health. Wash with only warm, not hot water, and can clean with silver polish.
Does this set sound familiar to anyone.
- Pocahontas, Arkansas, USA
March 18, 2013
Q. I have a set of Bronzeware that my husband purchased in Thailand in 1964. I had forgotten all about it but it recently resurfaced. It is in a large three drawer chest. Mine has teak on the handles with a goddess figure on top. The name on the inside lid says "Johny's Gems in Bancock, Thailand." The word "Siam" is stamped on the flatware.
Recently a friend of mine was watching Antique Roadshow and someone there said that the bronzeware was toxic and not to use it.
Would like to learn more about the bronzeware. Is it safe to use? Any information would be appreciated.
- Prescott, Arizona USA
April 29, 2014
Q. Okay, most people think it's safe, and I didn't see the Antiques Roadshow comment. But I want to use the large set my parents got in Bangkok in the 70s. Opening it up, it has a very unpleasant odor. I think it's the horn handles (sure wish they were bamboo!). Anyone know how to care for these?
virginia sue wallace- chapel hill North Carolina
May 3, 2014
Q. I was at a country auction and purchased a set of what I guess must be cast bronze flatware, an almost-dead-ringer for the Scanline designs by Sigvard Bernadotte. The only mark on the pieces is a stamp that looks like RTM in a circular design, although there are a few teaspoons that are marked Thailand.
The pieces are mostly quite dull and look slightly oxidized. Any suggestions for polishing would be appreciated, and any ideas as to the manufacturer and metallurgy also.
- Lindsay, Ontario, Canada
September 24, 2014
A. Bronze made of Pure copper and Tin is safest to take meal in this plate as we get 100% FDA approval and manufacture these plates with purest form of metal.
Rajesh Kansara- Jodhpur Rajasthan India
December 16, 2016
Q. More than once, I have seen Dirigold/Dirilyte referred to as an "aluminum bronze." If I'm understanding, an aluminum bronze is primarily copper, with aluminum, rather than tin, added to make the alloy, and that sometimes nickel is added. So I'm wondering if Thai nickel bronze is an aluminum bronze with nickel added. I've seen and held both Dirigold and Thai bronze flatware. In terms of heft and appearance, the pieces are similar.
I looked up aluminum bronze in Wikipedia, and the article said that aluminum bronze is chemically inert, and that aluminum oxide forms a protective barrier. Does this affect anyone's opinion on the safety of bronze flatware, if it's actually correct that it's an aluminum bronze? Does "chemically inert" mean that it would not leach nickel if that is part of the alloy?
I have two sets of Thai bronze flatware, recently purchased at goodwill. One set was dull, the other never used and shiny. I found that a paste of Barkeepers Friend , rubbed in with a rubber glove, did a great job polishing the dull set. Any reason why I should avoid Barkeeper's Friend on bronze flatware if it needs to be polished in the future?
- Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
August 2, 2015
A. My parents acquired bronze flatware back in the early 1950s. They used it fairly often and I earned my allowance by polishing it. Ours had carabao (water buffalo) horn inserts instead of the rosewood I see in more modern sets. We used Brasso (and lots of elbow-grease), were careful to keep the polish off the horn parts, and washed well in soapy water. No apparent ill effects on the people or the flatware. I'm not sure I'd use it for my everyday flatware, but it would be more for the work of proper maintenance than any safety concerns.
Judith Abbott- Highland, Maryland USA
May 1, 2017
Q. Hi, this is a very interesting thread. Thank you.
My question is clarification as to the safety of my 144-piece "solid nickel-bronze Thailand (non plating). It is made by VU, Swan design. I have attached a pic.
Many thanks
Tena Swanson Moore- Norwich UK
December 17, 2017
Q. We purchased a large set of bronzeware while stationed in Bangkok, Thailand around 1974. It was one of these little factories and we had a tour of it and were able to purchase a large set. We have used some of the pieces since then. I just want to know if it is safe. This is all eating utensils. Nothing like plates and such. Just standard forks, spoons and knives. We care for it just like our stainless steel.
Nancy Luebke- MADISON, Indiana
April 13, 2018
A. Bronze silverware is nothing to stress over. I've got one of those vintage Thai bronze and rosewood sets myself that I keep for special occasions, and use it without fear (except for the fear of how long it takes to get tarnish off the stupid things lol!).
Think about the conditions for exposure: Frequency, Intensity, and Duration. Most folks use stainless for everyday meals and bust out the fancy stuff once in a while. So frequency is low. You're going to polish them before putting them out for guests, leaving no surface crud, and anyway the most dangerous thing in them would probably just be nickel, and not a lot of it, and honestly it's not really GOING anywhere. So Intensity is low too. As for Duration, the total amount of time a fork is in contact with food over the course of a meal isn't really that much. You're not slow-cooking something corrosive in a bronze pot, you're just scooping up a forkful of dinner.
The best thing I've found to clean them is Nevr-dull followed by hot soapy water and then wiped down with a flannel. Other folks swear by Brasso. Gonna be honest here, polishing compound residue is way more worrisome than the flatware itself. And if I had to choose between eating off of bronze forks at every meal, and microwaving stuff in plastic or putting hot food on melamine... I'll take the bronze forks any day of the week ;)
Rachel Mackintosh
lab rat - Greenfield, Vermont
April 24, 2018
Great thread. Rachel, I'm following your advice and putting it away for special occasions. Plus you have an ADORABLE dog! We loved using our Thai flatware with the kids, but as it's gotten more dulled by the dishwasher it's going back in the cupboard.
- Marin, California
July 31, 2018
A. I have been using Thai Bronze Flatware for 10 years or so. Started using it because we are on brackish well water, and steel flatware would seriously rust on a regular basis. No problems so far that we are aware of; it does take on a patina but we just wash with soap and water and sometimes polish but we use it every day.
Gary Dishaw- San Diego, California USA
September 2, 2018
A. I have been using this cutlery for years, have full set box marked SIAM and another set marked Thailand for every day use.
Do not put in dishwasher, and salt on half lemon takes the tarnish away quickly.
- Sydney Australia
January 2, 2019
Q. I just bought some bronze ware from James Jewelry in Bangkok. I am now concerned that this flatware should not be used as a dinner place setting. Any suggestion of where I can get the pieces checked for lead? A chemist at a nearby university?
I don't want to just display the pieces if I can feel safe eating with them.
Any suggestions are appreciated.
- Charlotte, North Carolina
August 31, 2019
A. There are two basic ways to check for lead:
1) destructive: take metal shavings off and send to a lab for digestion in nitric acid and analysis by ICP-OES. you will have to sacrifice some part of the set for this as you need about a half gram of metal to make the specimen.
2) non destructive: find someone who has an xrf analyzer, like a metal recycling facility, and have them shoot it for ya. The device will show relative concentrations of the allowing constituents.
Frankly I would not worry about this, for the reasons I have outlined above.
Rachel Mackintosh
lab rat - Greenfield, Vermont
September 8, 2019
! I have had a bronze Thai utensils set for decades since acquiring them in Hawaii around 1992. Mine have no adornment whatsoever and all have handles tapered to points. Handles were said to be water buffalo horn-impervious to water or rotting and are pegged to the handles by small bronze pins. They are definitely not the flashy GI souvenir sets I've seen.
I have never seen another set like mine which please me so much I have used them EXCLUSIVELY as an every day connection to my USAF Special Ops from NKP in Thailand, NVN, Laos, and Cambodia (1969-1970). I'd love to know if anyone else has one of these elegant 'peoples' water buffalo horn-handle sets. I love them unreasonably every day, hoping they're not toxic but using them anyway.
Capt. Monkey Hotel. USAF Special Ops Intel: Task Force Alpha, TUOC infil, exfil, SAR ops.
The History Company - Gig Harbor, Washington, USA
October 27, 2019
August 22, 2021
I recently inherited a 132 piece brass with wood (teak?) handle cutlery set from my elderly in-laws. It was personally purchased in Thailand and carried over. I am sure it is mid-century. The cutlery handles have a "roman numeral 1" type pattern that go all the way around as opposed to just the front.
My question is, why are none of the pieces stamped with anything? The only stamp is on the wooden box buckles. It reads "LION".
A Hauck- montreal, Canada
A. Hi. I think you are correct about no markings. The "roman numeral 1" is probably simply the clinching of the brass cap to the wood handle -- you'll see the same on pencil erasers; and the "LION" may be a brand name on the hasps rather than the flatware.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
August 2021
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