A dumb question about pickle

[Tela]

I haven't read my new book through or seen my video. The answer may be in there or somewhere else that I haven't found.

When I pickle, the metal turns white. Did I leave it in too long or not enough? I never get it back to silver looking. My Sparex pickle is 140 degrees. It seems to take a long time for the firescale to to be removed and then the metal turns frosty white. Not so easy to clean. Am I doing something wrong?

[wirewrangler]

Hi Tela,
That is the sign that the "pickle" is done, completed. Worry if your metal doesn't turn "white".
If you haven't seen this before, or if you haven't been prepared to look for this sign, then one would worry. I did the first time. You are a bit more calm than I was.
Shines right up.
WW

[Tela]

I knew I could count on you Thank you, I wasn't freaking out too much. Just figured it had to be me with my track record with silver lately.

[christine]

How long can pickle keep in a cold crock pot? How do you dispose of the left over??
Thanks in advance!

[Tela]

I transfer mine to a mason jar to keep between uses. You can use it a long time and then mix with baking soda to neutralize before disposing. Be careful adding the baking soda to neutralize. Otherwise, you will have a volcano of acid all over the place!

[susan]

A couple of other pickle disposal suggestions: Put the pickle in a large paint bucket and take it outside. Add baking soda until it stops frothing. The big paint bucket catches most of the froth. Once it is neutralized it is ready for disposal.

My favorite way of disposal is making it inert by putting the pickle in a disposable glass jar and allowing the water to evaporate. I then put the lid back on the jar and dispose of the entire jar. I can't take credit for this, as tech support from Rio gave me this idea.

One more thing that I want to mention about pickle is that if, like me, you use steel wool on a piece and then pickle the piece the wool will contaminate the pickle by adding iron and all silver pieces will have an orange surface.

~Susan

[wildivy]

You can use "steel in pickle" to your advantage which you solder copper with silver solder. If you drop a bit of steel in the pickle pot along with your soldered piece the copper will plate out on the silver solder and hide the solder line so it isn't visible. This only works with used pickle (blue in color). If the pickle is fresh it won't have copper ions in it to plate out. I also wouldn't use steel wool--a nail or binding wire would be better. Steel wool makes a big mess (personal experience)! Supposedly once the steel is removed, the plating action stops, but I haven't tested this.

[las]

Sorry this is probably a really dumb question but what is pickle made of?
I just assumed some type of acid but what is it ?
Is it something you purchase or make up?
Thanks
Lee-Ann

[wickwire]

It is an acid because it's low PH. Sparex, which the jewelry suppliers sell, is sodium bisulfate. It comes in a powdered form and it's mixed with water. A cheaper alternative is a swimming pool additive made of the same chemical, such as PH Down. Some people use vinegar as a more environmentally friendly alternative but it doesn't work as fast but they all work faster when heated which is why lots of folks use a small crock pot. I had a metalsmithing instructor once who used an old coffee maker for pickle.

[Tela]

It definitely works better warm, that's for sure.

Before I bought the sparex, I was looking for a diy recipe and found no clear cut answer for it, just allusions. I thought it was better to play safe, than sorry and bought the sparex.

Thanks for the tip about using pickle to cover copper solder joints. How well does that last, do you know? I know that it is basically electroplated, that's why I wonder if it is heavy enough to last.