Maintenance Silver

You thought it was OK to put your sterling flatware in the dishwasher, but oh dear, look at it now. Take some tips from metal restorer Paul Karner.

Everybody must ask you this question first: What's the best polish?
Hagerty Silver Foam. It's not too abrasive, and it's water-soluble. For really bad black tarnish, Simichrome Polish. It's made in Germany. It costs more, but it's very good, and it's good for nickel, chrome, and brass, too. But it's not water-soluble. Make sure you get it out of the crevices. Use a toothbrush, otherwise it cakes on and is hard to remove. And don't use dips, they take off all the patina. If you take out all the black, you can't see the pattern. We see a lot of cases where someone took off too much patina, even the wonderful matte surface on Tiffany bronze pieces--when you make those shiny, it can destroy the value. We do have chemicals to put back or match patina, even on the lead for glass lampshades, and we can protect patina on bronze with a hot-wax finish.

Next I bet you're going to tell me never to put my silver in the dishwasher.
I don't recommend it. Especially if you're washing stainless in the machine too--that discolors silver. Knives aren't dishwashable anyway because the handles are full of pitch, the material that binds it to the silver, which softens in the heat. And you should always rinse off your silver right after the meal; some salty foods, and coffee and tea, will discolor it.

How should I store different kinds of metal?
Hagerty and other companies sell anti-tarnish cloth bags for silver. Chrome and nickel rarely tarnish, and you can store brass anywhere dark, in sealable plastic bags you squeeze the air out of. If air and sun don't get to a piece, it won't tarnish. Just don't use plastic wrap--it sticks on very bard. And don't use rubber bands either, they stain silver. Any contact with rubber can be dangerous for silver.

Do you get many surprises here?
All the time. I've seen sterling silver, 925, plated over for some reason--maybe because there was a repair to hide, or somebody thought it needed to be resilvered when really it was only tarnished. The plating can bubble when we work on it. People cut corners, they destroy beautiful things. The worst is when soft solder is used, in lead or tin, instead of silver solder. I have to take off 100 percent of the soft solder, or else when I start the repair and apply heat, the silver around it will literally vanish. You'd end up with a big gaping hole. And I don't like to work on very thin pieces. They usually show wrinkles in the end. Sometimes a weighted base that people think is solid silver is a thin sheet on wood or pitch that could melt in hot water.

So what do you like to work on?
Quality pieces I can do justice to. But I'll treat anything, even if it has value to you only because it was your grandmother's.

By Eve M. Kahn, House Beautiful, Dec2006

Ask The Dog Shrink

We know you mean well, but let her pick out her own dog … he just loves decorations!

Q My mother has always said she wants a dog, and I want to surprise her with a puppy for Christmas. Any recommendations?

A JUST ONE. DON'T. Besides Christmas being one of the most chaotic times on the calendar, the fact that your mother isn't going to be in on the decision--one that she'll have to live with for the next ten or more years of her life--makes your gift a potential nightmare. I've heard hundreds of stories about people who were positive that someone in their life would love to have a dog as a gift, only to find out after the dog was bought that they were wrong. The "gift" ends up in a local animal shelter. And even if you are right about your mother wanting a dog, you may be wrong about her desire to actually acquire one. Sometimes the idea of something is more exciting than the reality of owning it. Still 100 percent certain that she wants to have a dog? Fine, but how do you know what type of dog she would like? Size, temperament, energy level, grooming requirements, puppy vs. adolescent, purebred vs. shelter dog--all of these things are very personal and essential pieces of information to know when picking the right dog. In my opinion, the best Christmas gift that you could give your morn would be a book about dogs and a certificate for "The Dog of Your Dreams." That way, if she's onboard with the idea, the two of you could have a wonderful adventure searching for her perfect four-legged companion.

How do I keep my dog from destroying our holiday decorations? We decorate our family room extensively, and he always chews up something.
The holidays can bring extra challenges to all relationships, not the least of which involve canine members of the family. The big question is why he would choose the holiday as his time to explore his inner decorator. The answer, I think, is tied directly to how your life changes during this time of year. Maybe your dog doesn't get the amount of attention and exercise he's used to, so his boredom drives him to find another outlet. Dogs can't read magazines to entertain themselves, but they derive great pleasure in shredding them. The decorations that he only sees on holidays make a particularly enticing target, hence his penchant for them vs. the furniture that he sees year-round. And let's not forget the extra family or social commitments that cause you and your family to be abnormally excited and stressed out. Dogs are accurate barometers of our emotions; they feel, and become confused by, the stress and chaos that ensues. Although you can take a warm bath to decompress, your dog's options are usually of the oral variety, so be sure to offer him plenty of new (durable!) toys and monitor him closely whenever he's near the decorations. As dog owners, it's our responsibility to provide them with the opportunity to engage in activities that serve their minds as well as their bodies. And when the basics are met --a healthy diet, proper training, affection, exercise and toys that are appropriate for your dog--then everyone will have a happy holiday season.

By Kathy Santo, House Beautiful, Dec2006