Question on How to Clean an Item

[ravensnest]

Hello-

I was hoping some would be able to offer some advice about how I can clean an old Chinese item. I'm a collector of Chinese opium paraphernalia and I have purchased a tool that is far more corroded/tarnished than any other item I've purchased over the years. I do not know it's history. The tool may have original fine marks from when it was used anywhere from 100 to 200 years ago and I'd like to try and preserve those too if possible.

It is nonmagnetic. I bought it thinking it was brass from the seller's photos. but as I clean it, the metal that's left is silver-colored. So I'm either removing a plating of some sort or it's not brass. I believe it is either paktong (German Silver), paktong brass, or possibly silver. Cleaning with a cloth and a fine metal cleaner is providing very little results.

Any recommendations?

 

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