How to Make Pickle

Jewelry makers who solder metal need a pickle solution to clean the metal.

Pickle is an acid compound used during jewelry making to remove oxidized surfaces and flux from metal after soldering. There are many types of pickle that can be used. You can create your own to use in your jewelry fabrication. Keep in mind that you are working with chemicals and need to be careful in how you use them and dispose of them.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Pickle pot
• Acid
• Water

1. Clean out a glass or ceramic pot and fill it with clean water. If your water comes from a well or your tap water has a lot of minerals in it, you may want to use distilled water when making your pickle.

2. Avoid dangerous chemical reactions by always adding acid to water and never the other way around. A rhyme may help you remember this important safety concern: "Add acid to water. Do what you ought to."

3. Heat your pickle solution so it will work faster. Most jewelers use a slow cooker or a glass or pottery container as a pickle pot, along with a hotplate. Once you use any container or implement for your pickle, do not use it for other things -- and certainly not for foods!

4. Use a common solution, such as sodium bisulphate. This chemical is sold by jewelry supply houses; brand names include Sparex and ProCraft Pickle. It is also found in many hardware stores and swimming pool suppliers -- one brand is pH Down. For any of these, the mixture is not exact. Different jewelers like to use different strengths, sometimes depending on the specific metal. Place about a tablespoon of the granules in about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of water in a small crockpot and heat, but never heat to boiling.

5. Nontoxic alternatives include combinations of alum and water or vinegar and water. To make a solution from alum, dissolve 1 tbsp of alum in 1/4 cup of water. Make a vinegar-based solution by placing water in a saucepan and adding distilled white vinegar. Heat the solution until it simmers, then add a bit of kosher salt or table salt. The ratio is about one part of salt to eight parts vinegar.

Tips & Warnings

• While the pickling process will be faster when the solution is heated, the pickle solution should not boil.

• Take fire precautions.

• Keep pickle away from skin or eyes. Call poison control if pickle is ingested or splashes on skin or in eyes.

• Find out how to dispose of used pickle properly; check regulations for your area.

References

• Beadfest; "Lapidary Journal"; Chemical Responsibility -- Disposal Solutions for the Studio; Helen I. Driggs
• Ganoksin; Pickling Notes; Charles Lewton-Brain; 2007