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Silver jewelry is a bang-up alternative to gold jewelry. It is cheaper, only still sturdy and visually appealing. But, argent jewelry needs care and keeping simply like any other precious metallic, and is just every bit likely to demand repairs at some point. Repairing and cleaning silvery jewelry is a scrap more difficult than dealing with gold, then it will accept a bit more care and possibly the help of a jeweler.

  1. one

    Get two pairs of flat nose pliers. You lot tin can buy these for relatively cheap at your local hardware store. You tin likewise purchase a jewelry repair kit from a hobby shop, which volition come up with special pliers and tools needed for repair. Just make certain you get a pair of flat nose pliers that are small plenty to handle smaller pieces of jewelry.[1]

    • If you're buying the pliers on their own rather than equally part of a kit, you'll need 2 pairs in order to concur each end of the broken clasp.

  2. 2

    Purchase a new squeeze, and extra jump rings. Since your clasp is broken, you lot'll need to buy a new ane to adhere on your jewelry. Get a silver plated clasp and a few bound rings, or connector rings, in order to secure the clasp to your jewelry. You can purchase these supplies online, or y'all tin find them at a local hobby or crafting store.[2]

    • You can buy clasps and leap rings in all different kinds of material. They'll near likely exist plated in silvery rather than made from silver.

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  3. iii

    Open the jump rings and remove the old clasp. Using the flat olfactory organ pliers, grip the ring connecting the clasp to the concatenation or string. At that place should exist a slit in the ring where it does not fully connect; grip it on either side of this slit. Pull ane hand towards you lot and button 1 paw abroad, separating the ii sides. Slide off the former squeeze.[3]

    • Make sure you don't pull the jump ring outward. This will only curve the ring and make it very difficult to go it back into its normal shape.

  4. 4

    Add the new jump rings and clasp. Remove any jump rings that may be damaged or broken and supervene upon them. Then, on the last jump ring, hook the new clasp on earlier endmost the ring. Make sure the jump rings are closed and secure.[4]

    • If you're having trouble seeing the clasp and bound rings, consider purchasing a hands-complimentary magnifying drinking glass. This volition help you see what you're doing but still keep your hands gratuitous to piece of work.

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  1. 1

    Employ a difficult silver solder. You want to make sure you purchase a hard solder and non a soft solder. A soft solder will not work with silver jewelry, and may actually damage it further. Yous can purchase hard argent solder online, or from a local hardware store.[five]

    • Y'all tin can choose to buy solder wire, or sheets. The sheets are generally cheaper, and volition allow you to cut the size yous need.

  2. ii

    Employ a soldering torch. Soft solder can be soldered with a soldering iron, which is electric. Difficult solder must be soldered with a torch, with is powered by gas. Butane torches are useful for standard jewelry repair jobs like fixing jump rings and reattaching small chains.[6]

    • Always handle soldering torches carefully. Article of clothing protective gloves and brand sure yous are in a room with good ventilation to avert inhaling any fumes.

  3. three

    Use flux when soldering. Flux cleans the metal prior to soldering so that it tin can bond and melt properly. Use a liquid flux to coat the surface you're soldering earlier beginning. You can also purchase flux sprays made specifically for hard soldering, and for working with argent.

    • Hard soldering might as well require pickling later being soldered, in order to clean it. Y'all can buy separate pickling liquid, or you can even use a flux that is cocky-pickling.
    • Brush flux onto the joint or surface you plan to solder before applying the solder.

  4. four

    Use the torch to solder the silver pieces. If y'all are soldering two pieces together, for example, identify the solder wire against the spot yous demand to solder. Conform the torch to its highest temperature setting, and heat the wire until it melts. In one case it melts, it will join with the silver slice you lot're repairing or bonding with another piece.

    • Afterward soldering, you lot will want to rinse the newly repaired or joined piece in water, so pickle information technology to clean information technology if the flux you used wasn't self-pickling.

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  1. ane

    Accept your silver jewelry to a jeweler if you lot need it resized. Resizing argent jewelry is much more difficult and time consuming than resizing gold. When melting down the silver to resize it, it gets very muddied through oxidization. A jeweler will exist able to brand sure the piece returns to its previous shiny state afterwards resizing.

    • Keep in listen that if you have a silver ring with a rock in it, some jewelers may tell you it tin't be resized without taking the whole ring apart. Silvery conducts heat through the unabridged ring, making information technology difficult to resize when there is a stone setting on the piece.

  2. 2

    Consider that silver jewelry repair may take longer and toll more than aureate. Even though the silvery itself is less valuable per ounce compared to gilt, it is time consuming to repair. A jeweler might price the work at a loftier charge per unit simply considering of how long it is going to take them to repair the piece and then smooth it dorsum to its normal coloring.

  3. 3

    Look for a jeweler who has a light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation welding motorcar. Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation welding is the safest manner to resize and work on silverish, as it won't harm the metallic the mode traditional torch welding volition. Laser welding will allow a jeweler to resize a silver ring with a stone on it, for example, when the same couldn't be done with traditional torch welding.[vii]

    • A laser welding machine tin can toll upwards of $20,000, so smaller, contained jewelers might exist less probable to own or have access to one.

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  1. ane

    Use a special silverish polishing material. These cloths are made specifically for cleaning and polishing silver. They don't require any liquid cleaner or polishing agent. Just use the material to gently buff abroad tarnish and restore the jewelry to its natural polish.[8]

  2. 2

    Avert using dips and polishing agents. Liquid polishing agents and dips are harsh chemicals that could damage plated argent. They demand to be used in very well-ventilated areas, as well, equally the odour could be hazardous to your wellness. You likewise may have to dispose of these chemicals carefully, as they are considered hazardous.[nine]

    • These heavy-duty cleaners can also crusade your jewelry to tarnish more than quickly, as they could strip the protective surface off.

  3. iii

    Use a bootleg silver cleaner. If the polishing cloth doesn't practise the play a trick on, you can try using things from your kitchen to make clean your argent jewelry. A little bit of phosphate-free dishwashing soap and warm water, for example, could assist.[10] Or, try using a paste made from baking soda and water. Apply a pocket-sized dollop (about the size of a pea) to your jewelry and use it to vitrify away tarnish.[xi]

    • Ever rinse your jewelry after using any kind of polish, homemade or otherwise. Rinse it briefly, then dry it with a clean cloth. You don't want any shine to get stuck on the jewelry anywhere and harden.

  4. 4

    Exist careful when cleaning silver jewelry that contains precious gemstones. Certain gemstones may crave special attention when cleaning. If your silver jewelry contains fragile pieces like pearl, you volition desire to make sure you only apply cleaning or polishing agents that are rubber for these parts of the jewelry.[12]

  5. five

    Repair shallow scratches by buffing with regular toothpaste. Put a niggling bit of toothpaste on a cloth. Subsequently wetting down the piece of silvery jewelry, rub the toothpaste gently into information technology using round motions. Rinse the jewelry once again. If the scratch is still there, repeat the process. If the scratch doesn't go abroad subsequently a few tries, it may need to be taken to a jeweler for repair.

    • Don't utilize toothpaste that is for tartar control or has a whitening agent. These ingredients are as well annoying and may actually end upwards damaging the silver.

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  • When in doubt, seek the advice of a professional jeweler.

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Reader Success Stories

  • Debra Glinsey

    Debra Glinsey

    May nineteen, 2018

    "I used the blistering soda and Dawn, then I took new soft toothbrush and brushed it. The tarnish came correct off."

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