"Peter W. Rowe" pwrowe@ixDOTnetcomDOTcom wrote in message
...

Well, your process is about right. But vinegar? In 35 years of making
jewelry, that's the first time I've ever heard that line, and while it may
seem
obvious to you, it does not to me. vinegar is an acid, containing no
sulphur.
Acids generally act on metal to dissolve oxides. if anything, vinegar
might
clean the silver if there are oxides (they'd be probably of copper, not
silver). Certainly, with a bit of salt added, it does a nice job cleaning
copper. If you're experience is with vinegar tarnishing silver, then I
suggest
that you're thinking of more complex food products that might contain
vinegar,
but that the vinegar is not the agent actually tarnishing the metal. A
number
of vegetables and spices, that might be mixed with vinegar in pickled
products,
will contain various sulphur compounds, for example. But are you sure
you're
not confusing your memory with eggs? Those are notorious for tarnishing
silver.

I thought we did an experiment in chemistry classes a few years ago where it
tarnished various metals. I know it certainly dulls solder (I make glass
pendants too that are soldered, I clean the glass with vinegar) so I thought
it might work the same. I'll have to go down to the garden centre.

Charlie.