Featured Some Silver Finds and Questions

Hi All,
I went to an estate sale this morning, found some silverThe flatware was in a bag of silver-plate flatware for $5, the souvenir spoons were in a bag with about 40 souvenir spoons for $8.00.
A couple of questions on my finds - any information appreciated
thanks for looking
#1 the Northumbria sterling pieces (1 spoon & 4 knives) are in bad shape so will put in scrap pile. My question is, am I supposed to separate the handle from the blade? How would I do that? I assume the handles will be filled with something, how would I get that out?






the five spoons just need a good polish London Aldwinckle & Slater 1892

 

Wow, great score Cx! How fun to get those in the silverplate bags.

I also curious about the knives that are in bad shape, but have a sterling handle. Following this thread.

 

question #2 is on a spoon from the souvenir spoon bag



This spoon is marked sterling hand made on the back - looks like the bowl is a Mexican coin dated 1950? If a coin, would it be silver?
EDIT: I found the answer, 30% silver









This souvenir spoon from the Yukon has a little gold nugget on it

 

thanks Lucille I've taken sterling hand mirrors apart before, they were pretty easy to do but I have no idea on knives or if it is even worth it?

 

I have a spoon from alaska with the little gold nugget my parents picked up on our trip in 1960. I bet they don't add the gold nuggets anymore!

 

Assuming the knife blades are stainless, yes the scrapper will probably want the handles alone. Somebody did a series of posts with pictures about taking filled flatware handles apart to remove the "filling." Don't remember if it was here or Ebay. If someone remembers and can link to it that would be great.

 

I usually split them with a chisel while held in a vise. Often ends up with blood. Sometimes you can just beat them enough with a hammer to powder the cement and pull them off the steel and dump the powder out.

Some are paper thin. Some are surprisingly heavy. The super thin ones are best to just peel. Again with blood.

 

@Bakersgma, Quick look on youtube....looks like there are a bunch of videos!! But I did NOT personally check them out..........! They're claiming pretty easy!!

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+separate+stainless+knife+blades+from+sterling+silver+handles?

 

Somebody found some silver today! I usually take them to the pawn shop and let the shop owner bang away on them. Sometimes those guys need to take their frustrations out on something, and damaged sterling flatware makes a nice target.

 

I'll bet ya feel good after that !!

 

Pretty sad that I had to look up lump hammer! I must have 30 hammers that i picked up at sales and not one lump hammer among them. That is my new "learn for the day"

 

LOL! I'm filing "lump hammer" under one of those interesting things I'll look up sometime. My imagination, however, is doing just fine for the moment!

 

thanks for all the replies folks

lol, thanks for the warning

thanks for the link Aquitaine, that was a fun way to spend a Saturday night You never know where you will end up when you enter the rabbit hole called Youtube Started out watching how to remove sterling from knife handles, then on to how to remove the silver from silver-plate, then panning for gold from bags of dirt you can buy and ended up with Fawlty Towers

any blood with your method

might give this a try and see what happens.

 

Fawlty Towers!

 

I will save you the trouble.

Think of a miniature sledgehammer. They sound quite useful.

 

They used to be called Hand Drills.

 

I did look it up, and the picture of it was self-explanatory. Tidy little critter, innit!

But Peggy, you have added another dimension to the subject. Calling the thing a "miniature" sledgehammer speaks more of something, well, effete. As in a dental tool, perhaps.

 

Such a lovely eclectic group! Thank you for sharing