Do-it-yourself silver chain repair

In detail: do-it-yourself silver chain repair from a real master for my.housecope.com.

If there is a trouble in the form of a broken silver chain, do not despair and rush to get rid of the product. The jeweler will help correct the situation. However, it is not always possible to turn to him for help.

In addition, such a service will not be cheap and will amount to almost half the price for the item itself. You can try to solve the problem yourself and solder the silver chain at home using available tools.

Before deciding to solder parts of a silver product on your own, you need to understand the physico-chemical properties of the noble metal. The melting point of silver is 960 degrees. This is an average for the various metals from which jewelry is made.

The melting point depends on how much pure silver is contained in the alloy. In order for the ration to turn out to be of high quality, you need to thoroughly approach the choice of silver solder.

It is a strong solder joint and is used for soldering both non-ferrous and ferrous metals, as well as various alloys. For ease of use, all solders are labeled with an alphanumeric set. The digital indicator determines the amount of silver in the solder as a percentage.

Any seam soldered with solder is resistant to corrosion, does not deform, and is durable. The most important factor of the above is anti-corrosion. In order to observe this moment, you should choose solders in which there is a high content of pure silver.

If it is impossible to purchase solder in special outlets, you can make it yourself. The most common and high-quality composition, which includes:

Silver - 45%;
Copper - 25%;
Zinc - 30%.

Video (click to play).

All components are melted in a muffle furnace. The mixture after melting is poured onto the substrate and passed through the machine to obtain sheets of the desired thickness. Sheets of 1-3 mm are used for soldering. Strips of the required length are cut from them.

In order for the soldered seam to be strong, it is necessary to prepare the following materials and tools:

The base for the main work (asbestos plate or bricks), resistant to high temperatures;
Silver solder;
Flux;
Acid pickling solution;
Sulfuric liver;
small brush;
Tweezers or tweezers;
wire cutters;
gas burner;
Copper tongs;
A clean piece of light-colored matter.

At home, you can use one of two soldering options applicable to silver:

1. Gas burner. This method is not only simple, but also cost-effective. You need to act as follows:

Clean the entire surface of the soldered parts from visible dirt and blackness;
Apply a thin layer of flux to the elements. You can cook it yourself. To do this, the borax is poured with water and heated in a water bath. The mixture is cooled, and the resulting crystals are crushed in a mortar.

Put the pre-prepared necessary piece of solder in the place of soldering. It can be cut with wire cutters;
The gas burner should heat the product from its side, paying attention to the position of the solder. It must not be blown away by flames;
As the flux melts, the flame should be increased until the solder forms a seam. If there are not enough materials, they can be added in the course of work;
After the soldering is completed, let the product cool down and wipe all parts of the soldered object at the junction with sandpaper to remove traces of flux.She will remove excess solder.

2. Soldering iron. To solder parts of the product with a soldering iron, you should choose a device with a thin tip. Solder for such work is better to buy POS-60. It starts to melt at a temperature of 180 degrees.

This solder is somewhat different from the usual types. It is made in the form of a tube, the inside of which is filled with resin. It is she who is an alternative to flux from borax and performs the function of protecting the alloy from possible oxidation. The procedure will be as follows:

The surface of the product is cleaned from oxides and other contaminants;
The joints are heated to such a temperature that it becomes higher than the melting point;
Solder is placed in place of melting, with a flux embedded in it;
The soldering iron heats up the surface of the product. Under the influence of high temperature, the solder begins to melt and evenly distribute over the surface;
The product is allowed to cool and the joints are cleaned with sandpaper.

When working with a torch and a soldering iron, precautions must be taken, as both devices can cause a fire.

It is important to understand that any poor-quality work can ruin the product. Therefore, if possible, it is better to entrust a torn chain or other silver jewelry to professionals.

From time to time, silver items require repair, and the question arises: how to solder silver at home? Indeed, for several centuries, mankind has been using silver products. Spoons, forks, bracelets, chains, caskets and rings decorate our lives and emphasize the individuality of the owner.

Tools and materials for soldering: a - conventional soldering irons, b - electric soldering iron, c, d - irregular shape of the soldering iron, e - casting solder into a form convenient for work.

You can entrust the repair of your favorite little thing to a professional or perform the necessary actions yourself, with your own hands. For the latter option, you will need to master the technological methods, procedures and put into practice information on materials science and other necessary information.

Soldering any metals requires knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of the material. Silver melts at a temperature of 960ºС, which is the average value for metals used in the manufacture of jewelry. For example, the temperature required to reach the melting point of copper is 1083ºC, and for gold it is 1063ºC.

Alloys containing silver have different melting points. The exact values are indicated in specialized reference books. In particular, PSr-25, PSr-10, PSr-12. Silver solders are marked with a sequence of letters and numbers. The numerical values correspond to the percentage of silver in the solder.

Preparing the soldering iron for work and cleaning the surface: a - heating the soldering iron with a blowtorch, b - ways to mount the soldering iron on a blowtorch, c - stand for the soldering iron, d - tinning the soldering iron on a brick.

In modern production, solders containing silver are an important, integral component of the technological process, since welds brazed with silver solder guarantee strength, high density and resistance to corrosion. Anti-corrosion should be recognized as the most significant quality. With increasing requirements for strength and resistance to corrosion, it is necessary to use solders with a high silver content. In some cases, soldering with 70% silver solder is used.

Solder for silver is purchased in specialized stores. It is preferable to use refractory solder (melting point above 240ºС), use an alloy marked PSR2 and PSR-2.5, or use a specialized soldering paste.

You can also make your own solder. Silver-copper-zinc and silver-copper-cadmium-zinc solders are used. The most optimal composition is 45% silver, 25% copper, 30% zinc.The components are melted in a submerged muffle furnace. The finished mixture is poured onto the substrate, after cooling, the alloy is passed through a rolling machine until leaves with a thickness of about 0.5 mm are obtained. When soldering, strips 1-3 mm wide are used, from which pieces of the required length are cut off.

It is not recommended to use formulations containing cadmium at home, as cadmium fumes will cause health problems. During the soldering process, the joint is exposed to atmospheric air. Flux (colophonium) is used to prevent oxidation and other negative reactions. During the melting of the solder, the flux is evenly distributed over the surface of the metal and isolates the welding area.

Soldering techniques: a - soldering an open seam with a hammer soldering iron, b - heating the surfaces to be soldered with an electric iron, c - soldering sheet metal, d - soldering wires, e - soldering pipes with an end soldering iron, e - method of sealing holes in pipes, g - tinning the ends of the wire .

At home, you can use a simple flux for soldering silver alloys - a mixture of equal parts of borax (sodium tetraborate) and potash. Potash can be replaced with baking soda or technical soda. Sometimes 1/10 of table salt is added. Borax is represented by an aqueous solution, and it needs to be dried. It is dried on the burner of a kitchen stove in a vessel such as a porcelain chemical container or an evaporation cup. Drying on low heat.

Hot borax forms bubbles that are pierced with a metal rod to destroy, the mass must remain in the container. After the end of the evaporation process, the borax is immediately removed from the heat to prevent melting. After cooling, the resulting crystals are ground in a mortar and mixed with potash.

After soldering is completed, the flux is removed from the surface of the repaired product using a heated, weak acid solution. For blackening, a hot solution of sulfuric liver is used. Sulfur liver - a mixture of sodium or potassium polysulfides, is made by fusing potash or soda (two measures) with sulfur (one measure). Ready sulfuric liver should be stored in an airtight dry container, a solution is prepared immediately before use, as it retains its properties for 24 hours. The saturation of the solution depends on the desired result and is selected individually.

A gas burner is used to connect small jewelry pieces. Such certainty when choosing the main tool is connected, first of all, with convenience: to work with a gas burner, you only need an ordinary gas cartridge, and the quality of the work performed will please.

Solders for jewelry.

insulating refractory base (brick or asbestos plate);
silver solder;
flux;
pickling acid solution;
sulfuric liver;
small brush;
wire cutters;
tweezers;
gas-burner;
copper tongs;
clean cloth.

Parts intended for soldering are placed on a refractory base. All elements must be rigidly fixed relative to each other. Clamps of various designs and refractory wire (nichrome) are used. Please note: the smaller the gaps in the welding zone, the more beautiful and high-quality the connection will be.

The working surface of the parts to be soldered is thoroughly cleaned, the oxide films formed over a long time are removed. Pay attention to the complete absence of contaminating components - this is the only way to achieve a high-quality internal connection. Degreased elements are covered with a thin layer of flux. The flux can simply be poured or just before soldering, prepare the required amount of slurry with water. The gruel is applied with a brush.

Gas burner for soldering metals: 1 - inner tube, 2 - outer tube, 3 - hole, 4 - star, 5 - process.

Soldering. A piece of solder is placed at the welding site. The amount of solder is determined locally, it is convenient to use pieces of 2x2 or 2x1 mm.A strip of solder approximately 0.5 mm thick is divided into pieces of the required size. Nippers or side cutters are used.

The gas burner is supplied to the product from the side. Carefully warm up the welding area. Make sure that the flow of hot gas does not blow off the solder and flux, also control the uniformity of heating. After the flux melts, the flame gradually increases until the solder forms a solder joint. If there is not enough solder, carefully add solder and flux.

If a crack needs to be filled, "light" silver solder with a reduced silver content can be used, as it melts at a lower temperature. To join two pieces together, respectively, use "medium" or "hard" silver solder with a higher silver content to create a stronger bond.

Final processing. The product is free of flux. Excess solder is removed with sandpaper or a needle file. The surface is blackened or lightened with an acid solution.

In some cases, they try to solder silver with tin-lead solder. This method can be used only once in a critical situation; when re-repairing, the elegance of the thing may be lost: under such circumstances, the product will simply burn out, and the master will not be to blame for this.

Be sure to tell your jeweler about the use of silver-free solder for repairs.

You need to know that soldering electronic printed circuit boards with your own hands is fundamentally different from repairing jewelry. For soldering, a soldering iron with a thin tip is used. Work in this case is performed by POS-60 solder, melting at a temperature of 180ºС. Thus, you should first take care of the presence of solder for soldering electronic circuit boards. A similar tinol is produced in the form of thin tubes filled with resin. The resin in the solder, in turn, acts as a flux, protecting the metal surface from oxidation.

When working from home, follow the safety rules. An open flame from a burner can cause a fire. When solder and flux are heated, toxic substances are released, your home must be equipped with a ventilation system. The acidic solution causes chemical burns to the skin and respiratory tract. Be careful.

Silver for a long time was considered a practically useless metal that did not affect the development of progress and technical improvement. However, even in ancient times, silver was actively used for soldering. Soldering silver is an actual procedure in our time, as many of us have certain jewelry made of useful precious metal: a ring, a chain, a ring, earrings, etc.

The temperature at which silver begins to melt is 960 degrees. C, is not high enough for the melting temperature of the metal. For example, the temperature at which copper and gold begin to melt is 1083 gr. C and 1063 gr. C respectively. Of course, there is no point in drawing parallels, comparing with other metals, since the range of metals in such ancient times was quite small.

Many of us, while studying at technical educational institutions, took the subject of materials science. Having opened a modern reference book on materials science, we can personally verify that it contains several silver solders: PSr-25, PSr-10, PSr-12. Solder markings contain letters and numbers, where the latter indicate the percentage of silver in the solder.

In engineering, silver solders have a special place, because silver-soldered seams come out incredibly strong, dense, and resistant to corrosion. The last quality is the most important.Of course, no one even thinks of soldering household items (buckets, dishes) with silver solder, however, some household items, without which it is very difficult to do today, simply need the presence of solders of this kind. Separately, we consider the PSr-12 alloy used for soldering pipes, manifolds, fittings, as well as other equipment with a copper content of more than 58%.

The higher the requirements for strength, resistance to corrosion, the more significant the silver content in the solder. It is worth noting that in some cases soldering with solder with 70% silver content is required. It is interesting to know that the soldering of a material such as titanium forces the use of the purest silver, without any impurities of zinc.

Soft zinc-silver solder is used as an alternative to tin solder. For many, this is absurd, since the solder is being replaced by currency metal. But there is essentially nothing to be surprised here, since this issue is purely monetary.

In our time, POS-40 solder remains the most popular, which includes 40% tin and 60% lead. Solder is used almost everywhere where soldering is required. For comparison, let's say that the POS-40 substitute contains only 2.5% silver in its composition, while the remaining share is lead.

The importance of silver as a material for soldering is steadily growing in our time, mostly in the technical field, as evidenced by published data, according to which, in the USA alone, up to 840 tons of silver are spent annually for this purpose (soldering).

Soldering the metal in question in the conditions of your life is a useful experience that may come in handy in the future. Soldering is the creation of an integral connection of metal elements made of silver using a fusible material (the melting point of the latter is significantly lower than that of the base material).

The technological part of the procedure may differ depending on the type of metal, soldering conditions, as well as many other factors, listing which in full is impractical. Thus, do-it-yourself soldering of electronic printed circuit boards and repairing jewelry can differ significantly.

You can entrust the decoration as a professional, or take up the work yourself, with your own hands. However, this will require curbing some useful information, as well as being informed about the established procedure if you are seriously interested in soldering.

Materials, tools necessary for work:

Electric soldering iron;
Solder;
Flux (colophonium).

It's no secret that in the life of every person something will ever break, fail. Because of this, it is necessary to quickly or not too quickly repair the item.Not all repair procedures can be done by hand, but soldering a broken tablespoon made of silver will be within your reach. It is best to give a broken precious item to a jeweler, but if you temporarily do not have the required amount, you can use useful information regarding the repair of an item with your own hands, material, and tools.Materials, tools that are needed for work:

To connect small jewelry pieces, you can use a soldering iron with a small sting, as well as an oversized gas burner. It should be noted that the latter option is the most suitable. Such certainty when choosing the main tool is connected, first of all, with convenience: to work with a gas burner, you only need an ordinary gas cartridge, and the quality of the work performed will please you no less. Thus, the method of influencing the precious metal in question with a gas burner is also the most suitable from an economic point of view.

Next, you should purchase solder, which is preferable to entrust the work of refractory solder, the melting point of which is in the range of 240 gr. C and above. The material of marking PSR2 and PSR2.5 can perfectly serve as solder. You can also use specialized soldering paste, which is not difficult to purchase today. You will also need to buy flux.

Next, the surfaces of the parts will need to be cleaned of dirt, oxides, and then apply a thin layer of flux.

The next step is to put a small piece of solder on the place of soldering.

Before starting the soldering procedure, think carefully about the details of the clamping system needed to hold the parts. Thus, it is necessary to warm up the edges of the soldered parts with high quality, and then put them on a sheet of asbestos.

Then you need to use a gas burner, starting to warm up the parts. It is worth noting that the place of heating must first be cooled, and only after that it must be processed with sandpaper.

In addition, tinols with a lower content of silver in the composition may well be used for processing silver. However, in any case, the composition of tinol necessarily contains silver. It should be remembered that for soldering your personal jewelry, no specialist will exchange ordinary tin-lead solders or other low-temperature materials of this kind without your permission. Otherwise, the product may be damaged during repeated repairs.

The flux can be prepared with your own hands: take a borax, then pour it into a special tank of a suitable shape (for example, into a glass); then fill the borax with water, then heat the bottle with a water bath; the resulting mixture should cool; the resulting crystals must be crushed with a mortar. Thus, you can prepare a flux for processing silver with your own hands.

It is worth summarizing: if you have the funds to repair and solder silver items, as well as other jewelry, it is better to seek help from a master jeweler. However, if you don’t do this, you should carefully prepare: gain knowledge, gain experience, and only after that start working on your own, otherwise you risk being left without decoration at all.Silver jewelry is loved by all girls without exception. They are great both as everyday accessories and as evening accessories, and they are cheaper than other precious metals, and in appearance they are not inferior to them. Unfortunately, sometimes your favorite silver things need repair, and the owner has a question: how to solder a silver chain at home? Of course, you can entrust the repair to a professional, but sometimes it is quite possible to do this work yourself. In this article, we will look at exactly how to do this.Soldering any metal requires certain knowledge about its physical and chemical properties. The melting point of silver is 960 degrees. For metals used to make jewelry, this temperature is average.Important! A similar indicator for copper is 1083, and for gold - 1063 degrees.Alloys with silver also have different melting points. The exact values can be found in the special reference literature.Solders with silver are marked with a set of letters and numbers. In this case, the figure indicates the percentage of silver.Important! Important advantages of silver solders are strength and resistance to corrosion. You can buy them in specialized stores.It is advisable to use refractory solder with a melting point exceeding 240 degrees for soldering parts. These are alloys marked PSR2 or PSR2.5, or a special soldering paste.It is possible to make your own solder. The optimal ratio of metals in this case is as follows: Image - Do-it-yourself silver chain repair

The components are melted in a muffle furnace.The finished alloy is poured onto a special substrate, and after cooling, it is passed through a rolling machine to obtain leaves about half a millimeter thick.

Important! When soldering at home, you should not use compositions with cadmium, since the vapors of this metal are harmful to health.

Fluxes are used to protect the soldering site from oxidation. The flux is distributed over the surface of the metal in a uniform layer and isolates it from the effects of atmospheric oxygen.

As a flux at home, it is used:

A mixture (in equal proportions) of borax and potash.
Instead of potash, you can use baking soda or technical soda.

Important! Borax is sold in the form of an aqueous solution and requires pre-drying. To do this, you can use a conventional gas burner:

Borax is poured into a porcelain chemical container or a special evaporation cup.
After the evaporation process is completed, the crystals are cooled, ground in a mortar and mixed with soda or potash.

Removing the flux from the surface of the repaired product is carried out using a heated weak acid solution.

The base is made of refractory material (asbestos plate or ordinary brick).
Silver solder.
A mixture of borax and potash as a flux.
acid solution.
Small brush.
Tweezers.
Wire cutters.
Copper tongs.
Gas burner.
A piece of clean cloth.

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Important! The smaller the gap in the welding zone, the more accurate the connection will be.

Thoroughly clean the surface of parts from oxide films. This is the only way to achieve a quality connection.
Coat degreased elements with a thin layer of flux. Dilute the flux with water to a mushy state and apply with a brush.
Place a piece of solder on the welding spot. It is convenient to use pieces with sizes of 2x1 and 2x2 mm. The division of the alloy strip into parts is carried out with wire cutters or side cutters.
Bring the burner to the side of the product. Gently warm up the joint. Make sure that the gas does not blow off the flux and solder, control the uniformity of heating. After the flux has melted, gradually increase the intensity of the flame until a solder joint is formed. If there is a shortage of flux and solder, carefully add both.

Important! To repair cracks, light solder with a small percentage of silver, with a lower melting point, is quite enough (for example, to solder a silver ring at home). In order to join the parts together, an alloy with a higher silver content will be required. In this case, the connection is stronger.

The final step is to clean the joint from the flux. The surface is blackened with “sulphurous liver” (an alloy of potash with sulfur) or lightened with an acid solution.

Important! Sometimes lead-tin solder is used for soldering silver products. However, the thing at the same time loses its aesthetics. In addition, this method cannot be used several times, so as not to spoil the thing completely.

For soldering jewelry, a soldering iron with a thin tip is used. In the work, an alloy POS60 is used, with a melting point of 180 degrees. Such solder is sold in the form of tubes with resin inside. The resin plays the role of a flux that protects the metal surface from the effects of oxygen.

Important! Soldering at home should be done in a well-ventilated area, as heated solder and flux release toxic compounds.

For the restoration of old or broken silver items, silver soldering is often used. Silver soldering at home is carried out with various silver solders. Information about the grades of silver solders can be found in the reference book on metallurgy.Silver solders are characterized by different chemical composition, melting point, density and electrical resistivity.

Soldering with silver requires a lot of skill and courage. For soldering silver parts, a suitable flux and silver solder must be correctly selected. It is impossible to use when soldering silver - silver scrap, since the solder itself must have a melting point lower than the temperature of the parts to be fused. If the melting temperature of the silver solder and the product being fused are the same, then it can simply leak during soldering - simultaneously with the solder.

For soldering silver jewelry, use an electric soldering iron or a gas burner. The quality of silver soldering depends on the desired melting temperature, which can be created by an electric soldering iron or a gas burner. Conventional electric soldering irons do not give a high enough melting point - for soldering with silver solders. If you have money, then it is better to repair a broken silver item at a jeweler and not take risks. Soldering silver with hard solders is not an easy task. It is impossible to solder silver with enamel or blackening, hard high-temperature solders. There were cases when, when soldering silver jewelry, natural stones fixed in them (except rubies, sapphires and diamonds) could not withstand high temperatures.

An ordinary electric soldering iron with a heated tip, powered by an electrical outlet, which does not have an open flame - like a gas burner, is not suitable for melting with silver solders. The essence of silver soldering is a strong connection of parts. If, as a result of soldering with an electric soldering iron, some surface adhesion of the alloyed parts is formed, then it will not be much better than glue. However, using an electric soldering iron, you can bond the surfaces of large parts, creating a massive layer of silver solder. A conventional electric soldering iron with a tip, as a rule, is designed for soldering with tin-lead solders, and not solders containing: silver, gold and cupronickel alloy. Such an electric soldering iron is designed to melt solders with a melting temperature of 300 degrees, and we need 700 - 800.

Silver soldering is an integral connection of various elements made of silver and its alloys, using low-melting materials containing silver and other components, where the temperature of the silver solder must be lower than the melting point of the base material.

Depending on the type of metals to be joined, soldering conditions and many other factors, there may be different technologies for silver soldering. For example, the technological process for soldering silver jewelry - during assembly or restoration, and the technology for soldering electronic printed circuit boards - with your own hands, can differ significantly.

A person can master silver soldering on their own at home or simply entrust this work to a professional. Before you start soldering with silver, you need to prepare the necessary tools and materials: an electric soldering iron or gas burner, the necessary silver solder and flux - colophony.

Before you start soldering with silver, you need to clean the working surface of the part - from the oxide film. Only in this way, it is possible to achieve a high-quality connection of the material with silver.

Then the potential place of soldering is heated to such a temperature that it is higher than the melting point of the solder. However, when heating existing surfaces with good thermal conductivity, an electric soldering iron may not be able to cope with high-quality heating, as it may not be powerful enough. With insufficient power of an electric soldering iron, it is better to warm up with a gas burner.

When soldering with silver - silver parts, it is necessary to protect the place of soldering from the negative effects of air.To create a protective layer over the place of soldering, flux is used - colophony. When the silver solder is melted, the flux is evenly distributed over the metal surface.

When soldering silver jewelry, you can use both high-temperature solders - corresponding to the silver samples of the soldered item itself, and low-grade solders containing silver in their composition. Joining silver parts - in jewelry, by soldering with tin, with a low melting point, should be done only in case of emergency. A jeweler who is not informed about tin solder can start soldering jewelry with high-temperature solders, which will lead to the burning of tin and destruction of the product.

Every stylish girl has a pendant with a chain in her arsenal of jewelry. What will better emphasize the curves of the neck in an evening look? Of course, a classic pendant with a chain. However, such products are often torn, especially thin ones, the links are frayed and this is absolutely normal. Gold is a fairly soft metal, so it tends to wear out and break during use.

A broken jewelry needs to be repaired, not a single beauty will hide her favorite jewelry by putting a cross on it. If you decide to repair the accessory with your own hands, this is commendable, but we must warn you about the pitfalls. And so, how are chains repaired?

Let's look at the causes of the breakdown:

Manufacturing defects;
Incorrect storage;
Wear;
Lock breakage;
Incorrect operation.

Understood the main reasons. Now in more detail, if the thing is new, and you are sure that the cause of the breakdown lies in a factory defect, you need to contact the store. The store always goes to meet its customers, but no one will take your word for it. It will be necessary to conduct an examination, and if the truth turns out to be on your side, you will be compensated for the damage, and if not, then you will have to pay for the procedure out of your own pocket - this is one of the pitfalls. When the examination confirms the factory defect, the store will return the money or repair the product at its own expense.

If you decide to repair gold chains with your own hands, you should know that you will have to use a soldering iron and other tools used by jewelers. Also, incorrect actions can lead to even more damage or completely ruin the jewelry.

In the chest with jewelry, special attention was always paid to precious little things, items made of gold and silver were not left without attention. But not everyone knows how to properly store them, and it is often the wrong storage that leads to breakage. If you simply put the chain in the box, no matter how thin or thick it is, it will certainly get tangled. Moreover, sometimes such knots are not at all easy to unravel, or even completely break. A broken chain will have to be taken to the workshop. In order for your product to last longer, it must be stored in special long cases with recesses.

Of course, you can break the jewelry when wearing it, it can catch on hair, clothes, and anything. The older the product, the easier it is to damage. Repair of silver chains, like gold ones, is often carried out due to chafing of the links. You can evaluate the wear of the jewelry yourself by examining it under a magnifying glass.

Is your chain a simple anchor weave? - You can determine how worn it is at home. To do this, just take both ends and roll in your hands. The product in good condition rolls evenly without jerks, but if it rolls jerkily, then there are damaged, worn links.

Above, we have already described the main reasons why the product must be carried for repair. Let us examine in detail in which cases it is possible to return the product to its previous form using its own forces:

I would like to pay special attention to the locks, or rather the springs, which are located inside the closing mechanism. If there is a steel spring in the lock, it is susceptible to corrosion, especially when in contact with sea water. If your jewelry has a steel spring, get in the habit of removing it before bathing. When the spring is made of silver or gold, then metal corrosion does not threaten it, and you can safely swim in such an ornament.

We figured out how chains are repaired: either on our own, armed with all the tools of jewelers or in the workshop of professionals. Gold items are very fragile, especially when they are thin, so you should pay special attention to both wearing and storing jewelry.How to fix the chain yourself at home?If your chain is broken, no problem. large fix the chain yourself will not be difficult, but, nevertheless, you will need special narrow nose pliers two pieces, and it is desirable if one of them has a bent end, as in the photo below.To fix the chain, it is necessary, if the parted link is lost, first push the outermost whole link apart.To do this, we hold the link with our left hand with some narrow-nose pliers, and with the right, hooking the opposite side of the link at the place of the connector with other narrow-nose pliers, we move it apart, shifting it forward or backward.Attention! In no case do not move the chain link apart, when returning to its original position, it will break.When the link is moved apart, continuing to hold it with your left hand with narrow-nose pliers, we put on the last link from the other end of the chain, you can hold it with tweezers. With the right hand, use the pliers to move the link until it is completely closed. Repair completed!If the chain is very thin, then it is better to take it to the workshop for repairs, there are more modern technologies for this.Silver is a popular precious metal that is used for many purposes, including jewelry. Silver reflects light beautifully and suits almost any skin tone. A silver chain, worn as a necklace or bracelet, is a classic and charming piece of jewelry. Silver chains come in a variety of styles and sizes, ranging from the thinnest to the heaviest, traditional to modern.While silver is a durable metal, silver chains can be brittle and sometimes break. Most, however, can be easily repaired, as long as you know how to solder a silver chain. Silver soldering is one of the most basic jewelry making techniques. It is used to add individual pieces of metal, invisible seams. Soldering is also most commonly used to create chains.Use silver solder to reconnect the two pieces of the broken chain. Soak the two ends of the chain to be repaired for five minutes in an acid solution that is used to clean the silver before and after soldering it. Place a small piece of silver solder directly between the two pieces you wish to repair.It is imperative to ensure that the solder is in contact with both sides. Use a small amount of solder no larger than the dimensions of the individual links. It is better not to use this method of how to solder a silver chain for the first time on an expensive thing, but to practice in advance on a separate piece. Heat the solder with a small nozzle until it melts. Turn off the nozzle and let the solder cool and solidify.

Video (click to play).

Another way to repair a silver chain is to replace the damaged part. To do this, use the needle-nosed pliers to unclench the neatly damaged ring and remove it from the chain. Then take a new ring made of silver and put it first on one end of the chain, then on the other. Using needle-nosed pliers, gently press down on the ring until it connects.