Keeping Bands Shiny

[keith929]

+1 for jeweler's cloth

 

[jpmcwjr]

That's why the jeweler's cloth. No cleanup afterwards. One side of the cloth removes tarnish, and the other side polishes and helps prevent future tarnishing.

Yes, it's what I use.
But I simply offered another way, for those who may not have such handy.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

You’re welcome Brad, seems like a long time ago, ha ha.

The beauty of a jewelers cloth is that it has two cloths tacked together. The inner lighter colored cloth is mildly abrasive, but polish quality, to remove the tarnish and residues off the band, of any metal. The outside cloth is imbedded with a microcrystalline wax that is used to very lightly coat the metal to slow down tarnish. Clean and polish with inside cloth, and then wipe down with the outer cloth afterwards, easy peasy.
I also use mine on my pipe stems and briar after each smoke to keep my stems spiffy. I never have to buff or do anything else to my stems, YMMV.
The only negative about pastes and liquid metal cleaners is that they strip off quite a bit of metal. Like a dentist giving out candy, I highly suggest you use them and then send your jewelry and bands to me for repair. I am totally kidding of course. But, I have seen these pastes and liquids dissolve enough metal to remove designs, nomenclature, and losen stones from their settings, YMMV.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Paul, an 'MOT' test is an annual test forced by law every year to show that your car

is roadworthy. It costs about £45 - 50 and it is against the law to drive without a valid MOT certificate.
Of course many testing stations see this as a money making venture at the expense of the driver.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[npod]

Like above, jewelers cloth. Or the dunhil silver band polishing cloth.

 

[skaukatt]

Now if I can only get a silver band un-stuck so I can rotate it about 180 degrees so that the engraved nomenclature presents upright instead of upside down. I can't (and an expert, and I mean expert pipe repairman, miracle worker couldn't) get the band rotated. The last thing I want (as did the repairman) is to cause any damage trying to get ot to budge.
Otherwise, I clean all my bands with a jewelers cloth called, "Fabuluster". It has a red side which is infused with rouge and a yellow side to polish to a shine. It works very well on all my bands.
Lou

 

[drydock]

I had a deeply tarnished nickle band--so bad I wasn't sure if the nickle had been rubbed nearly off. I used white vinegar, slightly watered down. I'd dab a q-tip in the solution, then dab it in a tiny bit of ash--and used this to very gently (and patiently) work the tarnish off the nickle. I should have taken before & after pictures. My band went from dull battleship gray to a shiny bright nickle. I didn't have a polishing cloth but this method worked perfectly.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I hope it's solid nickel! It'd seem a bad thing to plate something as small as a band, but I am no metal worker.
Glad you got it sorted.

 

[rimbaud]

I’ll echo other sentiments: Jewlers Cloth. Except if it’s plated. I had a gold plated bit I tried to shine up, and... well. It has a nice shine. Not gold though. Haha.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Jewlers Cloth. Except if it’s plated

They actually make a cloth for gold and plated gold.
Gold Polishing Cloth

 

[sparrowhawk]

Thanks for all the tips, gents: I will make it a point to get a jewelers cloth.