Silver Spigot Turns Into a Golden Spigot! Christmas Miracle?🎄🌟🎄

[Dshift]

Joking aside, i think I have a funny silver cloth contamination problem on my hands... Either this, or I am related to the Midas family on my mother's side
A week ago i wanted to take a fresh photo of my 03s silver spigot Pete and I just gave the silver a quick wipe with a silver cloth( like I have done so many times before). I picked it up yesterday to smoke and it has turned to a golden spigot for some reason.... Not external or environment factors, even the silver cloth is the same i have used on this pipe for 8 months now...

 

[Briarcutter]

Not external or environment factors

Oh but it is! Ebonite contains much sulphur, it will quickly oxidize silver. Even quicker if it's enclosed. How was the pipe stored? Sealing a cleaned piece of silver i.e.,plastic bag will greatly reduce the oxidation. However if you seal it up with an oxidizer you'll do the opposite. I'd polish the silver and give it a coat of wax,something like Renaissance wax for example, that may help. Or just enjoy the patina Midas

 

[Dshift]

Oh but it is! Ebonite contains much sulphur, it will quickly oxidize silver. Even quicker if it's enclosed. How was the pipe stored?

On the same stand, in the same room, same tobacco smoked, same routine, same cloth... Everything the same for the last 8 months

 

[Dshift]

Ha i should do whatever i did here but with the gold block Pete

 

[Dshift]

Oh but it is! Ebonite contains much sulphur, it will quickly oxidize silver. Even quicker if it's enclosed. How was the pipe stored?

Yes it is for sure. I meant no obvious ones.

 

[Briarcutter]

It's called "toning" on silver coins in the collector world. People pay an exorbitant premium for that in the natural state.

 

[didimauw]

I'd like to see the whole pipe in its current state!

 

[Dshift]

I'd like to see the whole pipe in its current state!

well here it is today, but I had to check if the that was oxidation or something else so I wiped it again with same cloth just like a week ago. The new layer of oxidation came right off. I wasn't sure if it was oxidation or a contaminant because I never get such a fast change on my silver. Also I tried wiping it of with a regular microfiber cloth and it did nothing and that's why I am convinced it was oxidation, but I guess we will see again after one week
That's the cloth

 

[Briarcutter]

Micro fiber won't cut it, literally, silver polishing cloths are impregnate with a micro fine abrasive that removes the oxidation. Silver will oxidize throughout the day with the right conditions. You just met the right conditions. A clean polished piece will oxidize faster as it has no "layer" of light tarnish to protect it.

 

[Dshift]

Micro fiber won't cut it, literally, silver polishing cloths are impregnate with a micro fine abrasive that removes the oxidation. Silver will oxidize throughout the day with the right conditions. You just met the right conditions. A clean polished piece will oxidize faster as it has no "layer" of light tarnish to protect it.

That's why I tested microfiber first, to check if it was actually oxidation and that it silver could oxidize very fast. Again all the things I mentioned were not meant as general questions about silver oxidation. The silver on this pipe has went through oxidation/polishing circle maybe 30 times already and this last one was very different than the last 29 times. As a reference, this is how it's neighbour in the same pipe stand looks without being polished for over one month

 

[Briarcutter]

That's why I tested microfiber first, to check if it was actually oxidation and that it silver could oxidize very fast. Again all the things I mentioned were not meant as general questions about silver oxidation. The silver on this pipe has went through oxidation/polishing circle maybe 30 times already and this last one was very different than the last 29 times. As a reference, this is how it's neighbour in the same pipe stand looks without being polished for over one monthView attachment 432313View attachment 432314View attachment 432315

You just got lucky