Testing for silver & gold

I've never used a test kit and don't know how they work. Do you have to scrape a piece off to test it? Doesn't that cause the piece to lose value?

 

You're scraping on a black tile, and it depends on how big a piece you scrape off. I always scrape the back of the piece on the tile unless it's getting scrapped or trashed. Never apply acid directly unless it's going to the scrapyard and no one will ever care.

 

It gets rubbed pretty hard on the dark 'stone' or 'glass' but I honestly don't think it removes much.....leaves just enough to do the testing.....actually pretty easy!!!

 

Scraping on stone is not very useful
make a decent scratch with large needle and test there
Acid tests surface and shows green in the scratch if plate
The test area can be polished easily

 

Not true, and NOT a good idea unless you're scrapping something. File marks are damage, period. Lots of people won't buy jewelry with file marks.

 

Although not experienced, just to say that I went several times to a trusted jeweller and he did just what Ruth and Aqui said, looks pretty easy. He just rubbed the piece hard on the testing stone to leave a visible trace, and then brushed the trace with a small brush, soaked in the acid.

The harder part, I would guess, comes when one should read the results, especially when only one acid type is used. It definitely requires some knowledge and practice.

 

It's not hard,you just need gold testing needles.... https://www.jewelrydisplay.com/jewelry-tools/testing-needles-testing

 

Very informative, thank you for sharing!

 

I'd truthfully NEVER seen that NEEDLES testing rig before!