Silver letter opener.

Something like this will do.?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-SILVE...301191?hash=item1a0eca7dc7:g:xH4AAOSwe7BW0HOO

 

I like sewing antiques so I stick mainly to them, There's the odd time I have wanted to find out if something is plated so a kit would have been handy.

I have spent many many hours googling ways of finding out if something is real and there are many ways to test silver ect at home but none are absolutely definitive.

I think experience of handling objects over the years goes a long way to help with identifying if items are real or not.

 

I'm not up on testers and which ones are best, I thought I had cracked it with the Quickest-3 but it seems we're not to be trusted with them lol.

 

If it is plated it will show presence of silver but will not reveal what is underneath.
I have used magnet on the handle and it passed but it still can be copper underneath.

 

THey contain a very small bottle of concentated Nitric acid, and with a very small bottle of conc. Sulphuric acid and some glycerine you can make nitroglycerine.

There are easier ways, though, than buying loads of 5ml. bottles.

 

Yes, I do the magnet thing too but that only goes so far, Sometimes if you really scrutinise you can see the copper coming through usually on the edges.
Silver is generally heavier but that doesn't always help.
I think testing is the only way to know for sure.

 

Testing the surface is usually no good with plate, you need to file a notch somewhere discreet. Lots of old pieces will show testing marks made by earlier sceptics.

Acquisition, possession or use by the general public is restricted, if this product is for private or personal use, you must send us a copy of your EPL (Explosives Precursors Licence) which you can get from the Home Office.

Where did you see this, I went into the ordering process and could have paid and saw no such warning.

 

I haven't had an acid testing kit in over thirty years - my friend Glenn, a master jeweler, often suggested that few people use them properly, don't read the results correctly, and needlessly damage a lot of items. I seldom have need for testing, having collected and dealt in silver for decades, but when I do have some question, my friendly precious metals dealer will use his fancy XRF spectrometer for me.

Pains me to see pieces, especially those with marks indicating whether they are solid silver or not, defaced by unnecessary testing - silverplating removed by dripping the acid directly on the item, and deep gouges, file marks, and even chunks taken out of both silver and silverplate...

~Cheryl

 

http://www.quicktest.co.uk/acatalog/Quicktest-3-Gold---Silver-Tester--3-bottle-set--Q3.html#SID=314

 

If you click on the link Click here for details of this product then click Restrictions it tells you there.

 

You're lucky to know someone with a spectrometer, Here I'm afraid they do nick the item to get at the precious or not metal.

 

I just looked at the whole regulations and it appears mercury is restricted.

So am I a criminal (or more of a criminal) because of the mercury barometers I have?

Not that I care, and I have enough bottled mercury to reload a dozen problem barometers if need be.