Household Repairs Note. Whether you want to repair silver or let an expert do it depends on how much you value the piece. You can do the job, but without a professional's tools and experience, you may not produce a good-looking result.

Small holes. Clean metal. Apply acid flux. Solder with solid-core solder.

Joints broken between metal pieces. Clean metal and flux with acid. Clamp joints together. Heat metal with tip of soldering iron and melt solid-core solder on surface.

Dents. Try to bend out with your fingers. Otherwise, let a jeweler work on them.

Silver separated from other materials, such as plastics, felt, etc. See household decorative accessories.

Silverplate off, base metal exposed. Have it replated by a jeweler. In the future, don't wash plated silver in a dishwasher. Never clean it with a dip cleaner.

Tarnished. Rub on silver polish (paste or liquid) with a soft cloth. Use a toothbrush to get into crevices. Rinse in hot soapsuds and dry.

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May 23, 2012