Gold is usually electroplated onto nickel. Silver Often used as substitute for gold due to its lower cost but is susceptible to tarnishing from minute traces of sulphide. It is fairly soft so wear resistance is not good. Tin Even cheaper than silver but is very soft, and more susceptible to corrosion.

Clear Advantages Over Metal The use of sapphire, ceramics and other hard materials has significant advantages over metal depending on the application. The materials we machine are harder and stronger in compression than most metals.

Besides reducing weight and improving overall part strength and corrosion resistance, plastic-to-metal conversion also allows for the consolidation of multiple metal parts into a single plastic part.

High performance polymers are shaping future performance and are replacing metals in the Aerospace industry due to the need for more fuel efficient and environmentally-friendly aircraft, faster assembly times, greater reliability and lower operating and manufacturing costs.

Aluminum and copper successfully replace expensive silver and gold in chemical detection, a study reveals.

Miralloy® – An electroplating alloy combination of tin, copper and zinc, is an excellent silver alternative that is tarnish-free. It is also an excellent substitute for nickel for zippers, buttons and clasps. Approximately 20% of the world’s population has a skin reaction to nickel metal.

Vinegar. Here’s how to polish silver with vinegar, which you may not know is an incredibly versatile cleaning tool. Return luster and shine to your silverware and jewelry by soaking it in 1/2 cup white vinegar mixed with 2 tablespoons of baking soda for two to three hours. Rinse under cold water, and dry thoroughly.

Toothpaste is one of the easy DIY silver cleaning methods. Just take a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on a dish and rub onto the jewellery or silverware with circular motions to polish it and clean off the tarnish. Leave it for 5 minutes and then rinse off the toothpaste with water.

Pour ketchup into a dish. Place your silver piece into the ketchup, making sure its totally submerged. Let the silver sit in the ketchup for 5-10 minutes. Remove silver piece from the bowl, rinse with warm water and buff dry with a rag.

The reason behind using ketchup is the fact that the acid in tomatoes reacts with the oxidization of the tarnished silver. You just need to pour ketchup into a plate and place the silver in it until its fully submerged. This is undoubtedly one of the most unusual methods to clean silver.

Stainless steel develops the same sort of tarnish as copper, it can be cleaned just as easily with ketchup. Simply slather it on, let it sit (for as long as you can), wipe, and rinse.

If you need clean silver now, pour lemon juice over the tarnished pieces. Polish with a soft, clean cotton cloth. The acid begins cleaning as soon as it hits the silver’s surface. Rubbing it around only strengthens its cleaning power.

Do not clean gemstone-laden sterling silver with lemon juice. Tarnish makes your sterling silver jewelry or serving utensils look dirty, even though they aren’t. The problem occurs because of the silver’s reaction to items that contain sulfur or oxygen in the air.

Lemon Juice And Salt Just mix one tablespoon of lemon juice and one and a half cups water, and half a cup of instant dry milk. Let the silver soak overnight and rinse off any remaining mixture with water.

How to Clean Large Silver Items:

1. Line your sink with foil.
2. Pour boiling water into the sink.
3. Add 1 cup baking soda and 1 cup salt to the water.
4. Place silver pieces in the solution.
5. Allow pieces to soak for up to 30 minutes.
6. Remove items when cool and dry them off with a soft cloth.

Although using baking soda and aluminum foil can quickly remove tarnish from silverware, some dealers caution against using it on antique silver, as it can be too abrasive and ruin the finish (especially if you’re unsure of the provenance and it’s possible that the pieces are not actually sterling silver).

Sterling silver can be cleaned with baking soda and aluminum. Mixing baking soda, boiling water, and vinegar in a aluminum-lined tray will help remove tarnish from silver. Soak your silver in boiling water for about 30 seconds before polishing it to remove any stains.

Yes, vinegar can harm aluminum. Vinegar is acidic in nature. If you allow the vinegar to sit on your aluminum without rinsing for extended periods of time, it can cause further damage and corrosion to aluminum.