[Jewelry making - Article 00241] - Re: [Orchid] Liver Of Sulphar break down after use?

[Peter W . Rowe]

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>       Right, silly question here, but if liver of sulphur doesn't last
>     long in solution, why do so many jewelry supply places sell it in
>     liquid form, and in large quantities? Feeling kind of gypped, what
>     with that big bottle of stinky useless stuff sitting around in the
>     basement.. 

    Most of the commercially sold silver oxidizer liquids are closely
    related to liver of sulphur, but not quite the same as the liquid
    one would mix up oneself from the solid chunks. While the commercial
    liquids don't have unlimited shelf life, they do last a lot longer
    than what you'd mix yourself.  I've had it last as long as two years
    or more.  I expect they simply choose a specific sulphide which does
    not degrade the way ordinary liver of sulphur solution does. Or
    perhaps they put something in to stabilize it or something. Not sure.
     But that's been my experience. Note that also, many of the silver
    oxidizers one can buy as liquids will also claim to be able, perhaps
    with heating and use of a steel applicator, to oxidize golds. These
    are NOT plain liver of sulphur type oxidizers, though the visual
    effect on silver may be the same. Then there is a class of oxidizing
    solutions (Win-Ox is one such) that include HCL acid and tellurium
    compounds or some such. Toxic as hell, gives a considerably blacker
    (less gray or bluish) color, works very fast, lasts a long time.  Use
    it with care, they're not kidding about the toxicity of that stuff 

Peter

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