To Clean Pendulums
Important: Safety Warning 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. Brass pendulum bobs are often found with black stains upon them that prove very obstinate to remove. Heat the bob moderately, touch the stains with a brush dipped in nitric acid, rub with a linen rag and again heat moderately.
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To Clean Silver
Important: Safety Warning 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. Articles of silver, either solid or plated, are quickly and easily cleaned by dipping in a moderate concentrated solution of potassium cyanide and then thoroughly rinsing in water. Jewelers will find it very convenient to have three stone jars, with tight fitting covers, to exclude all dirt. Label the jars "Cyanide," "1st Water" and "Second Water.' In these, large pieces of silverware can be cleaned with ease by dipping into the cyanide, then into jar number one and then jar number two. Dry with a soft linen rag and the articles will be found free from all stains.
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To Clean Silver Plate
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. The tarnish can be removed by dipping the article from one to fifteen minutes in a pickle of the following composition: Rain water, 2 gallons, and cyanide of potash 1/2 pound; dissolve together, and fill into a stone jug or jar, and close tightly. The article after having been immersed, must be taken out and thoroughly rinsed in several waters, then dried with fine, clean sawdust. Tarnished jewelry can be speedily restored by this process; but be careful to thoroughly remove the alkali, otherwise it will corrode the goods.
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To Dissolve Soft Solder
Important: Safety Warning 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. Nitric acid may be used safely for gold not lower than 12k, and is very effective. The following is suitable for all grades of gold and silver: Green copperas, 2 oz; saltpeter, 1 oz., reduced to a powder and boiled in 10 oz. of water. It will become crystalized on cooling. Dissolve these crystals by the addition of 8 parts of spirits of salts to each part of crystals, using an earthenware vessel. Add 4 parts of boiling water, keep the mixture hot, and immerse the article to be operated upon, and the solder will be entirely removed without injuring the work.
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To Frost Silver (Goods may be frosted)
Important: Safety Warning 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. Silver goods may be frosted and whitened by preparing a pickle of sulphuric acid 1 dram, water 4 ounces; heat it and immerse the silver articles until frosted as desired; then wash off clean, and dry with a soft linen cloth, or in fine clean sawdust. For whitening only, a small quantity of acid may be employed.
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To Frost Silver (Produce a frosted surface upon)
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. To produce a frosted surface upon polished silver use cyanide of potassium with a brush; the silver should not be handled during the process, but held between pieces of boxwood or lancewood. The proportion should be, 1 ounce of cyanide of potassium in 1 pint of water.
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To Remove Rust
Kerosene oil (refined petroleum), or benzine are the best agents for the removal of rust, where the object is not pitted. When pitted, however, it can only be removed by mechanical means such as scouring with emery powder and oil.
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To Solder Broken Broaches
Steel broaches and other tools are soldered by cleaning well the parts broken, then dipping them into a solution of sulphate of copper, and soldering them with ordinary soft solder. The joint is a good one and will stand ordinary hard wear.
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To Work Hard Steel
Important: Safety Warning 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. If steel is rather hard under the hammer, when heated to the proper cherry red, it may be covered with salt and hammered to about the shape desired. More softness can then be obtained, if required to give a further finish to the shape, by sprinkling it with a mixture of salt, blue vitriol, sal-ammoniac, saltpeter and alum; make cherry red again, sprinkle with this mixture, and hammer into shape. This process may be repeated until entirely finished. When ready, the steel is hardened in a solution of the same mixture. This method is recommended by prominent workers.
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