Does anyone know of a plating material that is used to plate
sterling silver and is slightly ferromagnetic?
The reason I ask this question is that I am repairing a religious
item (torah crown) with a filigree design. This is a large item,
about 9 inch diameter and about 12 inches high (hollow, not solid)
When I initially received the item for repair, I tested it with a
rare earth magnet and found the object to be very mildly
ferromagnetic. Ie the magnet stuck, but just barely.
I assumed that the object was not sterling silver.
During some discussions with Jeff Herman, he encouraged me to remove
some of the plating material and test the metal beneath. The metal
acid tested (using the premixed red testing solution) to be sterling
silver.
Surprisingly, the area from which I removed the plating became non
ferromagnetic ie the magnet no longer was attracted to that area.
Leaving me to conclude that the plating itself must be ferro magnetic
The plating is a bright and shiny silver color, and looks something
like chrome plating.
I assume the object had been plated to hide firescale or to prevent
tarnish and the need to polish.
I have already completed the repairs, but I am still curious to
understand what the item is plated with.
Does anyone know what this could be?
Milt Fischbein
Calgary, Canada
I also repair Torah Crowns and I’ve found some of them lacquered. I
don’t know why anyone would silver plate sterling silver unless they
were too lazy to polish up the metal.
In order to plate a metal the metal must be dipped into a Nickel
solution, then the silver plate is dipped.
I have found over the years, that people in the synagogue will tell
the Rabbi they can fix whatever is broken. Then I find lead solder,
now that’s a pain in the neck. So, perhaps to cover the nasty
repairs someone had it plated.
Georg Jensen plates all their sterling to hide firestain, and many
English companies do the same. It’s not necessary to first plate with
nickel, then silver. Most platers use nickel because it allows
silverplating without the need for polishing. The plater I use -
Roger Jette, Jr. - does my plating and uses straight fine silver over
the base metal, even white metal.
R. O. Jette Plating
38 Vine St.
Franklin, MA 02038
508/520-1493
Don’t tell Leonid. He is still mad because I said that Tiffany
plated their sterling if necessary to hide firestain or soft solder
repairs and the like.