[job15]

Hi Sorry if this is in the wrong place .Please re locate if needed.

I need some help and this place could be my best hope.

I work restoring vintage straight razors and some of the scales (handles) are made from buffalo horn dating roughly 1 or 200 hundred years old .
I need to restore them to there original state being black.
Recently i read a post from a guy who is no longer with us. He says that a method for staining these horn scales black is to steep them in a Silver Nitrate solution and then leave in sunlight .

I have purchased 50g of silver nitrate but i have no idea concerning measurements , temperatures, can i use a uv lamp, would i need breathing apparatus?
Any clues or advise would be much appreciated.
Thank you...

[chenbeier]

You dissolve the silver nitrate in DI water. Then you store the sample for approx 1h in it. After that you dry them on air and expose them to sun light. Maybe a UV lamp helps. You don't need a breathing apparatuses. But use gloves, otherwise you will get a black skin. Temperature from RT to 40 C should be ok.

[job15]

Thank you that is very helpful.

Would you suggest using the 50 grams in 1 ltr distilled water. I could save it and re use it as n when?

Thanks again
Joseph

[AWK]

A solution of silver nitrate is stored in dark bottles. It is better to prepare solutions in smaller portions.

[job15]

A solution of silver nitrate is stored in dark bottles. It is better to prepare solutions in smaller portions.

Thank you