Using liquid glass protection on silver coins.

[MickB]

I've just had a thought about applying liquid glass to a coin/bar that's been previously untouched and then use my bare hands on it over a matter of weeks/months to see if the product lives up to it's claim.

If the product lives up to it's name then the silver shouldn't tarnish.

Liquid glass being nano-technology prevents oil or water entering the porous parts of a surface.

We use it on the railway on the driver's windscreens to stop it being easy for dead bugs to stick to the screen.

The aircraft industry apply it to the paintwork but paintwork requires a higher micron grade of liquid glass to be used.

As I have two 250 gram Umicore silver bars, one being unopened so far and still in it's wrapper, I'm thinking of treating the unopened bar with the liquid glass that I've obtained from work. The other will be handled with bare hands as well but untreated. Foolish or brave, it's a risk I'm willing to take to see if tarnishing/milk spots can be prevented.

I'll get the details of the product at work and then start the project.

Also, the bars have individual serial numbers so no chance of any swaps with another similar whilst the test continues.

[Danny-boy]

I'd be very interested in how this turns out, an interesting experiment.

[Hookythestacker]

Any chance of seeing how a testing solution would react with it Mick? (Just on the surface, not filed.)

[MickB]

Any chance of seeing how a testing solution would react with it Mick? (Just on the surface, not filed.)

Do you mean the liquid glass? I'm not going to use any other chemical other than the product we use at work. If you mean using a testing solution after the liquid glass is applied, I'll give it a go.

[Hookythestacker]

After it's applied would be great Mick.

[MickB]

I'd be very interested in how this turns out, an interesting experiment.

I'm looking forward to the outcome as it maybe an answer to preventing Milkspots. If it pulled off then the Royal Canadian Milkspot company have an answer to their problem.

[MickB]

After it's applied would be great Mick.

I'll have to go through a few tests, firstly bare hands and then leaving out in the rain.

Maybe I should get a nano-glass company to sponsor this test in case I end up with a scrap bar of silver

[Keithoil]

I will be very interested also but would think it would still spot over time as once the chemical is on the metal it only needs time to produce the milk spots.

 

My maple leaf one sort of proves it, these were BU in a tube of 25, I then added an oxygen scavenger sachet, then vacuum sealed the whole unit with by removing all the oxygen, after 9 months 8 of the Maples had spots on them.

 

Would very very good if it did solve it though.

[MickB]

I will be very interested also but would think it would still spot over time as once the chemical is on the metal it only needs time to produce the milk spots.

 

My maple leaf one sort of proves it, these were BU in a tube of 25, I then added an oxygen scavenger sachet, then vacuum sealed the whole unit with by removing all the oxygen, after 9 months 8 of the Maples had spots on them.

 

Would very very good if it did solve it though.

The liquid glass lasts a long time on windscreens, over six months on some screens and still have water rolling off them.

This is even after having a jet wash on the front of the screens that happens every time they arrive at the depot for servicing.

A rep from a different nano firm gave me a lecture on the benefits around five years ago, so since being on this forum it has made me think about what he told me.

On the trains it gets applied once a year so my thinking is that silver would only need it the once in it's owners life.

[simon13]

Nice idea, something like this passed through my head already, interested in the results.

[Keithoil]

Hi Mick B

 

Keep us informed of your progress.

 

Just checked it is rather expensive though.

[MickB]

Hi Mick B

 

Keep us informed of your progress.

 

Just checked it is rather expensive though.

It's free at work for me though. Only needs a cotton bud worth of liquid glass to coat the 250 gram bar, if that much.

[Murph]

An expensive product to by though and would it build up in places if you had to reapply it after an while?

[MickB]

No, apparently you can't put too much of the stuff on as it only fills in the gaps. I was told to imagine the peaks and troughs of a waveform, that's what a surface under magnification looks like. Appy this stuff to it and it fills the troughs and levels out a surface so it's not porous and nothing can bind.

As a coin or bar would only have minimal handling, my thinking is that it would last for years.

I did decant some into a sample bottle at work so I could coat my shower door and side pane to stop scale building up.

One of the firms called 'Nanopool' was going to sell a small pack with a cleaning and application wipe to treat bathroom sinks etc but I haven't seen it on the market yet.

Would have been an ideal kit to treat silver

[Cointreau]

But wouldn't it be better to conduct this test on maples?

[MickB]

No serial numbers on maples to verify it. Would have done but it would be easy to accuse me of falsifying my findings. Easy to swap one maple for another.

[Danny-boy]

No serial numbers on maples to verify it. Would have done but it would be easy to accuse me of falsifying my findings. Easy to swap one maple for another.

But you are likely to be reducing whatever you test it on to spot value, so could you not mark one maple, say with a small scratch and disregard that small area of the coin from the test? There would be no accusation of falsification then.

With the bars, you are testing effectiveness against toning rather than milk spots IMO.

[MickB]

Serial number 071260 is shown as sealed and previously untouched until now. 070401 had been previously handled.

The application only uses a cotton bud worth of fluid to coat the silver bar.

Left to settle for five minutes before handling, then took both into the shower to apply copious amounts of water.

With liquid glass, water just runs off the surface without settling, this can be proved by gently blowing onto the surface.

It's now left exposed in the bathroom for a week or so until another test is decided.

Might leave them both out exposed to the elements at a secret location:-)

 

All in the name of science and furthering the cause of silver stackers in getting better quality silver.

If it works well i should pass this onto the RCM for them to look into.

[silversword]

Interesting...

[MickB]

But you are likely to be reducing whatever you test it on to spot value, so could you not mark one maple, say with a small scratch and disregard that small area of the coin from the test? There would be no accusation of falsification then.

With the bars, you are testing effectiveness against toning rather than milk spots IMO.

Ahh too late to stop now.

I'll check my maples for milk spots but firstly i would have to remove the milk spots and go from there, wouldn't i?

Bars surely get milk spots as well don't they?

[Danny-boy]

Ahh too late to stop now.

I'll check my maples for milk spots but firstly i would have to remove the milk spots and go from there, wouldn't i?

Bars surely get milk spots as well don't they?

Not generally, unless they are minted bars.

[MickB]

Update; The non-treated bar is now looking slightly yellowish to the naked eye compared to the other one since been handled with wet hands in the bathroom everyday. I've wiped both of them down to remove water marks and the treated one looks as new, unlike the other.

Will carry on with this until the difference is more noticeable for a camera shot.

Not generally, unless they are minted bars.

I will leave one of my maples out to see if it will develop a milk spot or two along with another maple that I will treat.

This test looks like it will go on for quite a while.

I'll post the updates as I go along.

[K_theepan]

mick it be would be interesting if you could post some Picture to see difference between them two 

[MickB]

mick it be would be interesting if you could post some Picture to see difference between them two

Will do when the difference is much clearer for a camera shot as it's only very slight at the moment.

[Shamatti]

I'd bet you a maple that this procedure will not stop milk spots. Did you read the Perth Mint release regarding milk spots?

 

Much as I love the idea of having bars which are nice and shiny, and can be handled without causing tarnishing, there is a catch 22 here isn't there? I mean, it's funny - we collect silver, it is shiney and lovely and we prize that, but by doing applying this coating you will be reducing the value of the items to spot pretty much. Isn't it funny that by 'improving' the appearance - we love our shiny silver - you reduce it's value?

 

Strange world!