Important: Safety Warning
This page contains a formula or preparation using substances now known to be dangerously toxic, such as arsenic, mercury, lead, or cyanide compounds. Exposure to these substances can cause severe poisoning, permanent injury, or death.
In addition, this page describes trade processes that use dangerously toxic materials such as cyanide solutions, mercury amalgams, or strong acids. These processes require training, equipment, and precautions far beyond what the text describes.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
Electroplating
To Coat Busts and Figures
Busts and figures, and other complicated the surface takes a bronze tinge by the reworks of art, which cannot be perfectly coated duction…
Electrotyping on Wood
Dip the wood in melted wax, then brush over with black-lead until polished; insert a wire of copper, and see that it is also covered with…
First, or Whitening Solution
with silver it is diluted, and the silver is pre- Dissolve 24 troy pounds cyanide of potassium, cipitated by a solution of common salt; the…
Second, or Finishing Solution
Dissolve 4½ troy ounces cyanide of potassium, been polished; it is therefore a necessary and 14 ounces cyanide of silver, in 1 gallon…
Plating on Iron or Steel
Take 2 quarts rain water, dissolve 2 pounds cyanide receiving the silver deposit, and its solution, of potassium, and filter. In order to…
Dead Silvering for Medals
The perfect smoothness which a medal generally possesses on the surface, renders it very difficult to obtain a coating of dead silver upon…