Featured Weighted sterling scrap out informative post

Since I often see questions about what weighted items scrap out to, I thought I’d share this. This fella broke down four weighted s&p shakers. Came out with 60g. Looks like the lids were solid so a decent amount of the weight probably comes from those. It’s a lot of work to break them down I imagine. Anywho a good little info nug for your nug files.

 

Thanks for sharing,

I’ve done my fair share of scrapping, and the first piece of advice for anyone that’s going to do it more than occasionally, is buying some mountable throatless sheers makes scrapping way way way faster and less laborious. I’ve been doing it this way for about a year and it was money well spent.

Another scrapping observation: observe others yield cautiously. There are manufacturers that historically used a healthy amount of silver, and those that didn’t. For example, if I’m looking at weighted sterling candelabras, I know that Gorham and a few other manufacturers used nice thick silver, while some manufacturers use the thinnest of sterling. I’ve had yields of equally similar sized candelabras be hundreds of grams different because of this.

Like most things in this hobby, the devil is in the details, but hey 60grams at current prices is a pretty solid yield.

 

I call the silver on most weighted wedding gift candlesticks "silver tin foil" for a reason. It's about that thin, which doesn't stop some estate sale people from trying to charge 10x the actual silver weight. The Seder plate in your profile photo better not have been scrapped!

 

I giggled when I read the last sentence. I wasn’t expecting that question. My direct answer is that plate will never get scrapped, not as long as I’m collecting.
It’s funny I can recall the moment I picked up certain pieces, or remember how the item looked in the original listing photos. This one (I’m sure I said this a long time ago on the post) had a baked on canola oil colored dry but sticky thick coating. The first polish was slow and delicate, getting that thick coating off the intricate little crevices was painstakingly slow.

 

I can imagine. The poor thing! I probably would have started with dish soap and let it sit. Baked on oil is a bear to get off and may well have been why it was donated or sold.

 

I would definitely try a small, inconspicuous spot first, or try it on something that is going to be scrapped anyway. However, the new Dawn spray foam that they advertise is really good at cutting through grease. We use it all the time. We just spray the pan or container & let it set while we eat. It makes clean-up a whole lot easier.

 

With uncoated solid silver I might start with vinegar and baking soda and let soak.