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Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ

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How do you repair sickness in sterling silver

I have purchased several pieces of sterling silver with small scattered black dots on the surface. I understand these black spots are called "sickness".

How is the best way to remove this sickness from sterling silver?
When I tried polishing by hand it not only took forever but I had mixed results. Should I use a Dremel ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] tool and buff the various spots out?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

Michelle Isserman
antique dealer - St. Louis, Missouri, USA
2006

I haven't heard that term "sickness" myself, but try to clean silver by contact with aluminum in a solution of washing soda ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] as described in several letters here, including letter 4785.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2006

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