Author: CDA Admin

Silver Engraving

Posted on by CDA Admin

Engraving Silver

How to personalise your silver – from a crest or initials to a special message for a loved one.

There are two methods of engraving: hand or machine.

Hand Engraving: silver is a perfect medium for engraving as the light reflects off the facets created by the engraver’s tools. The craftsmen use handheld gravers (chisels) that have remained unchanged for hundreds of years. They meticulously pare the material away, and in doing so, bring the design to life. This method is suitable for complex artwork to be engraved on your special silver pieces. Every job is different, therefore each new design will be scaled up or down to suit the size and shape of the item.

Machine Engraving: our engraver uses the traditional pantograph machines, as well as a range of computerised aided design (CAM) machines to engrave large volumes of giftware. This service offers you a fast and cost-effective method of personalising your silver. Any artwork and font can be replicated; from simple child’s handwriting to complex badges, logos and decorative motifs, either as an outline or by using infill-shading techniques for more dramatic results. A high degree of skill is required to operate the manual pantograph machine and the quality of silver engraving is exceptional. The tungsten carbide cutters remove the silver to give a greater depth, and diamond-tipped cutters displace the silver giving the cut sparkle and clarity, which are the hallmarks of diamond engraving.

Please see the chart for sample engraving styles which can be adapted for the majority of fonts: Download Here

Whatever your silver engraving wishes are, we are sure we can help. Please just contact us for a quotation.

CONTACT US

T +44(0)207242 3248
Email: [email protected]

Cleaning Silver

Posted on by CDA Admin

How to Clean Silver

Silver reacts to the air we breathe, whose elements are Sulphur and Oxygen. It is sulphur that causes silver to tarnish.

You can display your piece in a glass cabinet which reduces the air circulation, therefore the sulphur contact is diminished. Anti-tarnish strips can also be purchased which absorbs the sulphur, therefore, taking it out of the air which helps prevent the silver tarnishing.

Cutlery/flatware can be stored in tarn proof bags which are chemically treated to keep the sulphur out. When storing silver, acid-free tissue paper should be used and never leave rubber bands around anything. You should avoid letting vinegar come into contact with silver; some window cleaning sprays contain it and should not be used in the vicinity of silver pieces.

As with everything, silver must be cleaned. It is essential that you do not use anything abrasive; in order to prevent damage to the surface, always use a soft cloth or duster. The polish used at William Walter Antiques is Silvo which comes in a liquid form or wadding impregnated with the polish. We recommend you use the liquid on silver-plated items as the wadding is slightly more abrasive. For ornate silver items, you use a brush with soft bristles, covered with a duster to remove any encrusted polish. To clean glass, for example, the interior of a decanter, you can use denture cleaning tablets. To remove tannin from the inside of teapots, you can use dissolved soda crystals.

Once your silver is clean, and to avoid regular polishing, you use anti-tarnish mitts and cloths. Silver polishing mitts are the quick and easy way to clean silver and remove tarnish. The mitts contain a special blend of cleaners and anti-tarnish protection which gives a deep and long-lasting shine. Each mitt is lined for added comfort.

William Walter Antiques stocks Town Talk polishing mitts and a range of their anti-tarnish storage bags.

If you have a problem with a certain piece, please contact us for advice.

CONTACT US

T +44(0)207242 3248
Email: [email protected]

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