putrid
08-30-2008, 06:23 PM
If it's in anyway still usable and the ornament in question is an antique please don't use it. With that said,
I'm using this to prep damaged ornaments to be repainted with tinted lacquer. (see thread on tinting lacquer).
For your own protection it's best to get a set of heavy gloves designed to be used with strippers or other chemicals before attempting this. If the ornament is old enough ( mid 70's) it will contain lead. There is no cure for lead poisoning.
Never attempt to clear out the silver inside a glass ornament. It may contain mercury. A little mercury is all it takes. Get it on your hands and touch a door knob and you'll poison everyone who touches that door knob. Get it on your clothing. Toss them in the wash and you WILL poison everyone in the house.
Be careful not to get any of the chemicals down inside the glass ball.
I've found there are three ways to clearing the old color off a glass ball.
Rubbing alcohol will take the color off of scratched up cheep ornaments. Use a paper towel or 1/2 inch stiff bristle paint brush to work the chemicals.
If this doesn't work. Wash the ornament with water to get all the alcohol residue off. Try the next.
Lacquer thinner will take the color off of older damaged ornaments. As above a 1/2 inch paint brush will help get the color off.
If this doesn't work, try the next.
If neither of the above work try using steal wool. It sounds extreme but this will even get off old glue from under glitter and the like. Don's scrub hard.
Glass balls
With any older ornament you may find the silver on the inside in poor shape. If the ornament is really spotty you might still have a few choices before tossing. If your repainting a design or making a new design for the ornament try working with the damaged areas by putting darker coloring over them. If that's not possible try using a satin finish tinted lacquer. It's clowdy and may help hide the spotting.
Glass shapes,
If the silvering is in really bad shape painting it over again may not give good results. A few spots here and there will just make it look more like an antique.
I'm using this to prep damaged ornaments to be repainted with tinted lacquer. (see thread on tinting lacquer).
For your own protection it's best to get a set of heavy gloves designed to be used with strippers or other chemicals before attempting this. If the ornament is old enough ( mid 70's) it will contain lead. There is no cure for lead poisoning.
Never attempt to clear out the silver inside a glass ornament. It may contain mercury. A little mercury is all it takes. Get it on your hands and touch a door knob and you'll poison everyone who touches that door knob. Get it on your clothing. Toss them in the wash and you WILL poison everyone in the house.
Be careful not to get any of the chemicals down inside the glass ball.
I've found there are three ways to clearing the old color off a glass ball.
Rubbing alcohol will take the color off of scratched up cheep ornaments. Use a paper towel or 1/2 inch stiff bristle paint brush to work the chemicals.
If this doesn't work. Wash the ornament with water to get all the alcohol residue off. Try the next.
Lacquer thinner will take the color off of older damaged ornaments. As above a 1/2 inch paint brush will help get the color off.
If this doesn't work, try the next.
If neither of the above work try using steal wool. It sounds extreme but this will even get off old glue from under glitter and the like. Don's scrub hard.
Glass balls
With any older ornament you may find the silver on the inside in poor shape. If the ornament is really spotty you might still have a few choices before tossing. If your repainting a design or making a new design for the ornament try working with the damaged areas by putting darker coloring over them. If that's not possible try using a satin finish tinted lacquer. It's clowdy and may help hide the spotting.
Glass shapes,
If the silvering is in really bad shape painting it over again may not give good results. A few spots here and there will just make it look more like an antique.