Electolysis Of Pendant Found At Beach

Big1011Guy · Nov 14, 2009

WOW, What a difference My Little Home Made Electrolysis Unit can make on items. I found a Pink Tourmaline (Octobers Birthstone) Pendant at Galveston a while back. I did Electrolysis on it for 24 hours then lightly used a brass wire brush to finish cleaning it. I will let the pictures show you what a difference of before and after.
Guy

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Guy

Woodland Detectors · Nov 14, 2009

FANTASTIC!!!!!! Nice Job

Big1011Guy · Nov 14, 2009

4-H said:
FANTASTIC!!!!!! Nice Job

Thanks 4-H for your reply.
Guy

Montauk3 · Nov 14, 2009

I clean a lot of my finds that are really messed up with muricatic acid. In a few seconds the majority of carp is gone. I will then polish it to a nice luster.

HTH
Ralph

Big1011Guy · Nov 14, 2009

Montauk3 said:
I clean a lot of my finds that are really messed up with muricatic acid. In a few seconds the majority of carp is gone. I will then polish it to a nice luster.

HTH
Ralph

Thanks Montauk3, for the reply and info.
Guy

Big1011Guy · Nov 14, 2009

teddy said:
Nice job. Cleaning has been one of my favorite parts of this hobby for many years. I actually enjoy it as much as finding stuff.

I noticed in your picture before cleaning the wire on the piece almost has a copper look. I learned a long time ago that there is a copper colored film that often forms on silver relics. This fact has landed me lots of awesome silver artifacts for the price of what the seller thought was copper or bronze Yep, before cleaning you'd swear the relic was copper.

Many very old coins and jewelry were either solid silver or silvered (thin layer of silver). Even the ancient Romans silvered their coins. I know for a fact the 17th century Spanish did as well. It's strange but today with all our knowledge we still don't know how they did it prior to the invention of electroplating and plating chemicals.

Thanks teddy, for the reply and the info about the Copper Film that gets on silver items. I just started the Electrolysis cleaning a couple days ago. I am really amazed at how clean the items are becoming after an overnight Electrolysis in Baking Soda. Now I have to go thru all my finds since April 2009 (when I started Metal Detecting) and see if there is anything worth cleaning.
Guy

Curious The George · Nov 15, 2009

How about a quick description of your electrolysis set up?

Big1011Guy · Nov 15, 2009

Curious The George said:
How about a quick description of your electrolysis set up?

1/2 Gallon Plastic Bucket Of Water.
(2) Teaspoons Baking Soda.
Audiovox Cell Phone Charger (Output: 5.0 volts - 1.0 amps), Low and Slow.
(1) Piece Of Stainless (1/8" Thick x 3/4" wide x 10" Long) On Positive lead Alligator Clip - Do Not let Positive Alligator Clip Touch the Water, cause It Will Disintegrate right along with the Stainless Piece.
Item to clean on Negative lead Alligator Clip - OK to put the Alligator Clip in the water.
DO NOT let the Stainless Piece and the Piece to be Cleaned Touch Each Other.
You now have a Homemade Electrolysis Unit. See Attached Pictures.

I give props where they are deserved - Tytherelichunter is the person that I got this info from. He has a Blog on Google Blogger Titled Electrolysis...How To, Check it out.
AS HE STATES: You Are Working with Electricity So UNPLUG THE CHARGER BEFORE TOUCHING ANYTHING AND BE CAREFUL!!!!!!!!

This is as Quick Description of My Set-Up as I Can Give :laughing7: