/// THE TRUSTY PICKLE POT ///
All jewellers and silversmiths use pickle, and many of us use it in a good old slow cooker.
What is pickle? It’s a weak acid solution
When do we use it? After heating the metal (usually when soldering)
Why do we use it? The heating process will oxidise (blacken) the surface of the metal, popping it into the pickle removes this and cleans the surface back to a lovely white silver
Why do we use a slow cooker? The solution works faster when it’s warm
How long does it need to stay in for? This is the same as how long is a piece of string. It depends on how hot the pickle is, and how strong it is. Rather waiting a set amount of time you just take a look - when you can see the silver is clean again then it’s done!
Pickle can be made from a variety of chemicals, including sodium bisulfate, citric acid, sulfuric acid, and nitric acid. However, and this is really important, regardless of how eco-friendly your initial solution is, as soon as you put your metal into it the chemical reactions turn it into a hazardous solution. NOT to be poured down the sink, or toilet, or outside - it isn’t good for water quality or wildlife. You need to contact the local council and ask what services they have for collection/disposal.
It doesn't need to dispose of it very regularly; It will evaporate over time due to heating it so just keep topping it up. You’ll know when you need to as it won’t be working as quickly as it usually does.
Pickle can be used cold, it just takes longer which is why most will use it warm.
I have a larger plastic tub of pickle I use for my larger pieces, this is inside another plastic tub to make sure its contained should it leak.
Pickle does not like steel, so you need to avoid putting any in (including necklace clasps and cufflinks - anything springloaded) as this contaminates it. If steel does touch the pickle it causes a chemical reaction which copper plates everything.
The fumes aren’t great so always good to use in a ventilated space.
So, that is pickle in a nutshell - so next time you see a slowcooker in a jewellers studio you now know what it's for!
