Silver Plate flatware question

Demitra1 · ‎03-11-2010

I have very old pieces of silver plate my mom used years and years ago. The finish is not very good anymore. Do you know if it can be "re-silvered" (for lack of a better term) so it will bring back it's original beauty? TIA. Demitra

deepwaterdotter · ‎03-09-2010

You might want to check Friedman Silversmiths online. It is a company out of Bellingham, Washington. A former co-worker had them replate some antique items she purchased at an estate sale. They did a very nice job.

Snowpuppy · ‎03-09-2010

Try cleaning it with Wright's Silver Cream in the tub, first. I have silverplate and it works well.

Skip the liquid dip type cleaners.

lulu2 · ‎03-09-2010

This site was suggested to me. I never got around to using it.

Qwackertoo · ‎03-11-2010

I like the gloves. They are impregnated (wonder IF that word will pass the filters) with the polish cleaning agent and you just rub the items . . . that way the cream doesn't get in all the nooks & crannies. The dirtier they get the better they work. Then they sell a spray to re-freshen the gloves with the cleaning polishing agent. I think they are made my Wrights also. I had some new in package and gave to my Mother for her sterling years ago and had to re-purchase to use on my silver plate stuff.

But if the finish is actually rubbed off from use . . . re-plating is the only option.

I took a couple of old spoons and forks . . . from an old great aunt . . . odds & ends pieces . . . and had a guy at the antique store make bracelets and rings from them .. . . with the self-closing magnets for the bracelets with a nice little cross charm for my sister, my daughter and myself a year or so ago. These were sterling pieces and I don't think he used strong enough magnets as he usually made them with lighter silver plate pieces.

esmeraldagooch · ‎03-10-2010

WOW! obviously some didn't understand you were looking to have your items replated, not worried about tarnish.

Qwackertoo · ‎03-11-2010

Actually IF it is really tarnished badly . . . it might be hard to tell exactly what % loss of the plating has taken place . . . until you give it a quick polish. But then she didn't say if she had performed that step or not.

CelticCrafter · ‎03-09-2010

On 1/14/2014 Qwackertoo said:
I like the gloves. They are impregnated (wonder IF that word will pass the filters) with the polish cleaning agent and you just rub the items . . . that way the cream doesn't get in all the nooks & crannies. The dirtier they get the better they work. Then they sell a spray to re-freshen the gloves with the cleaning polishing agent. I think they are made my Wrights also. I had some new in package and gave to my Mother for her sterling years ago and had to re-purchase to use on my silver plate stuff.

But if the finish is actually rubbed off from use . . . re-plating is the only option.

I took a couple of old spoons and forks . . . from an old great aunt . . . odds & ends pieces . . . and had a guy at the antique store make bracelets and rings from them .. . . with the self-closing magnets for the bracelets with a nice little cross charm for my sister, my daughter and myself a year or so ago. These were sterling pieces and I don't think he used strong enough magnets as he usually made them with lighter silver plate pieces.

I have a few old silver plate pieces that belonged to my grandmother and were passed to my mom and I would love to have that done for myself, my daughter and two nieces.

colliegirls · ‎05-13-2012

We have a jewelry store in our city that advertises that they replate silver. Maybe you can call around your jewelry stores and ask who does that in your area. Good luck!

Qwackertoo · ‎03-11-2010

On 1/14/2014 CelticCrafter said:
On 1/14/2014 Qwackertoo said:
I like the gloves. They are impregnated (wonder IF that word will pass the filters) with the polish cleaning agent and you just rub the items . . . that way the cream doesn't get in all the nooks & crannies. The dirtier they get the better they work. Then they sell a spray to re-freshen the gloves with the cleaning polishing agent. I think they are made my Wrights also. I had some new in package and gave to my Mother for her sterling years ago and had to re-purchase to use on my silver plate stuff.

But if the finish is actually rubbed off from use . . . re-plating is the only option.

I took a couple of old spoons and forks . . . from an old great aunt . . . odds & ends pieces . . . and had a guy at the antique store make bracelets and rings from them .. . . with the self-closing magnets for the bracelets with a nice little cross charm for my sister, my daughter and myself a year or so ago. These were sterling pieces and I don't think he used strong enough magnets as he usually made them with lighter silver plate pieces.

I have a few old silver plate pieces that belonged to my grandmother and were passed to my mom and I would love to have that done for myself, my daughter and two nieces.

It wasn't expensive at all. A little more since I chose sterling charms for the Crosses instead of silver plate . . . I think for three bracelets and maybe 2 or 3 rings, I don't remember IF I got sister a ring or not . .. it was like 45 bucks for everything. Mainly charge with charms, silver jump rings and the magnets. And a little for his time in bending, cutting and creating them. So for my daughter, it is like 4th generation . . . and several of the girls at her high school were buying them up there . . . I guess he'd buy sets from estate sales and create and sell these. Plus you can get any kind of charm, crosses, or an ice skate or horse or whatever hobby or theme would be important to the person you are creating it for. The ends of the silverware piece meet on top of your wrist and are connected with the jump ring and the charm . . .and underneath your wrist is the smaller tapered ends from after having cut off the spoon or fork part and the magnets attached on each end for easy on & off. Like I said, for the real sterling, I think he should have used stronger/larger magnets. And then the spoon rings . . . I think working with the sterling, he needed a little more practice at perfectly shaping those but they turned out nicely enough. He also returned the cut off spoon and fork parts . . . so I guess IF silver ever goes up to make it worthwhile to sell them I will vs. him keeping them so it worked out well.