Need a little help here guys..............:cam:

[Bobbie]

J-man and I hit our favorite spot on Sunday. He found a very ornate heavy chain......2.7 troy oz with crud on it. I cannot figure out what type of metal it is, if I scratch away at it.......shinny silver appears. There is far to much crusting to test it yet. I tried electrolysis but there was no bubbling action.........yes, I have it hooked up right..........Suggestions needed for cleaning the chain. Right now I have it soaking in plain water, and after a while the water turns milky white. Any ideas on the metal type?

 

[Craig-PI]

Cool looking chain Bobbie... I was going to ask you when you were going to go detecting again... we were there monday scored a couple rings but I got lazy about posting them... that chain looks like its got copper and brass in the mix... I don't think its silver because most old silver is black in color (silver sulfide)

 

[Bobbie]

When I scratch the larger pieces they are shinny silver looking. What is the best way to clean it?........the connecting rings and clasp are copper but not the big pieces.

 

[Craig-PI]

What I do Bobbie is rather harsh with my silver finds but I stick them in my tumbler and if they haven't turned to silver sulfide through out they usually clean up pretty well.

Do you have a microwave oven? If so try this: get a plastic cup and bring a cup of peroxide to a boil then remove it from the microwave and drop your piece into the hot peroxide sometimes heavily incrusted silver items will come clean... its not dangerous to do even though it sounds bad lol... btw it doesn't take long for the peroxide to come to a boil...

 

[Skully]

If it doesn't come clean with electrolysis...
my experience..copper and brass doesn't work with this method

I soak copper and brass in vinegar... For how ever long it takes


http://gometaldetecting.com/_cleaning.htm

 

[BEACH HUNTER]

n/t

 

[nanwate7]

n/t

 

[mattockman]

n/t

 

[shocker2u]

it may be a cheapie and all the plating is gone and you have only base metal left.not to take anything away from your find.is it heavy? do you have access to a target id metal detector? run it under the coil and see what it reads .just a thought

 

[Bobbie]

if it is lead, it may read in the range of gold.

 

[shocker2u]

pewter?

 

[nanwate7]

n/t

 

[fieldboy]

n/t

 

[Bobbie]

The rest is white metal.........probably junk......