The Omani Khanjar

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

How to clean silver?

Salaams all ~ I have said that a quick way to clean silver is with toothpaste, however, there are some pretty effective brands like silvo which also do a good job. The traditional workshops use a burnishing technique that I have already described at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...omani+khanjars ..see # 26.

Another technique is with lemon juice. Literally squeze one lemon and using the juice and brush (I use a brass wire or copper wire brush) then rinse the object under clean water and repeat where needed... then rinse and dry... job done.

I show a pair of bangles; "Stars of the bedouin" and a pair of ear rings " halaq" (incomplete) one piece of each is cleaned. Silver is quite pure and oxidises quite quickly so the patina will come back in a few months. The wire brush is able to shift the oxide easily but doesn't scratch the silver.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.