Cleaning Nickel Silver Bolsters

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derekpw

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Jan 2, 2017
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I have several Boker Lockback Folding Hunter knives in my collection. They have nickel silver bolsters.

I have had these knives for about 5 years and the bolsters have become dull and a bit yellow. I guess they have tarnished.

What is the best way to clean and polish these nickel silver bolsters? Will cleaning them hurt their value if I should ever want to sell them?

Thank you.
 
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Well, the General Services Administration has always listed the ùse of plain supermarket white vinegar as a mildly acidic cleaner for nickel silver alloys. Other than various detergents, white vinegar is probably the mildest chemical cleaner recommended by the GSA.

If there's an automotive parts or motorcycle shop nearby, you could try a small tub of that old standby, Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish. It's important to follow directions regarding following the "grain" of the metal or metal finish, and these days, to use a clean or new microfiber polishing cloth.
 
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All you need for nickel silver bolsters... no abrasived... use it all the time
 
Mothers Mag Polish, Wenol, Flitz, Simichrome. I would avoid things that are for polishing copper or brass like Twinkle or Brasso since they use chemical reagents that are intended to react specifically with the oxidation on copper and brass. Some red rouge or green buffing compound on a rag/paper towel.

Put some masking tape over the bone or stag. The polishing compound will turn black when it removes the surface tarnish and if that gets onto the bone or stag it can discolor it, especially if it collects between the bolster and the handle material where it can sort of wick its way into the cut end of the bone the next time you use some oil on the knife.
 
derekpw said:
I have several Boker Lockback Folding Hunter knives in my collection. They have nickel silver bolsters.

I have had these knives for about 5 years and the bolsters have become dull and a bit yellow. I guess they have tarnished.

What is the best way to clean and polish these nickel silver bolsters? Will cleaning them hurt their value if I should ever want to sell them?

Thank you.
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Nickel silver, an alloy made of 75% copper, 20% nickel and 5% zinc, resembles silver. What cleans nickel may turn silver black and harsh chemicals will scratch both. It should be cleaned with products that are safe for both nickel and silver. Some commercial silver cleaning polishes will work for nickel as well, but you may not get that high gloss finished look on nickel.
As a first step wash the item with a mild detergent in warm water. Rinse thoroughly and dry it with a soft cloth. Use a lint free cloth when you do this. For stubborn stains mixture of baking soda and water will work. Cover the metal with this paste and allow to dry. Run under warm water and buff dry with a soft cloth. Use a commercial silver cleaning polish on silver and nickel if the baking soda paste does not remove the stain or tarnish. Apply and use according to package directions. Dry thoroughly and buff with a soft cloth. Sunshine polishing cloths are one good product to use on this metals for a polished look, it's a non-toxic product and will remove mild tarnish on the metal. You can also refer to http://www.sunrise-cleaning.com/blog/cleaning-tips/how-to-clean-silverware/ for more cleaning instructions. I have been using this regular house cleaning service in Mississauga for the past one year and everything seems fine till now. Hope their tips for cleaning silverware might be useful for you.
 
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