WayWocket’s Workbook #1402.

Analyses of the silver content in the spoons

Knowing and proving = two different things, i.e. knowing utensil is less pure but needing to determine through testing and analysis to support gut instincts.

Finding a competent form of testing for easy and quick reproduction with a small percentage of error. Build an experiment with two hypotheses, using three spoons I have acquired from the Count’s table and a control spoon from Einion, Note on control spoon: ordering it from Einion will remove the chance of contamination, therefore will act as a control to the hypotheses.

Consulting engineering books: solution of the spirit of nitre can be used to refine silver. A simple method would match the hypothesis of how silver removed, then weighed to compare to College of Engineering (CoE) patent library.

After using the spirit of nitre — an acid that reacts to silver to create a solution of silver nitrate — which then is dried and using soda ash and burnt in a furnace at 1148.889 degrees. Note: safety measures needed — gloves, apron, eye protection and clockwork extractor. Pro: Gives the exact amount of silver in the spoon. Con: Vapours from the heated acid have a heavier than air toxic gas, which will kill people without a clockwork extractor. Con: Takes many days to dissolve the silver. Hard to retrieve silver without the use of a forge. After more research, have found rare mineral, Lópezite. If added to a diluted solution of the acid, indicates levels of silver and other trace metals. The solution will change colour depending on the primary alloy in the object. Before beginning tests, need to record colour scope of commonly found metals. Testing produces colour as follows: Silver = bright blood-red Copper = brown Zinc = light chocolate Tin = reddish brown Nickel = turquoise blue Iron = assortment of colours for iron but always left a black mark. Conclusion: this will become a standardising test. Have dictated colour coding for any future testing of metals with ‘WayWocket’s solution’. Now on to the trial and seeing which hypothesis is supported.

Now beginning the test with the following hypothesises:

Hypothesis Zero: Utensil, 1, 2 3 and control will have an acceptable amount of silver based on the revealed colour of reaction, matching recommended percentage based on CoE patent stamp Hypothesis One: utensil 1, 2 and 3 have an insufficient amount of silver that would contradict the recommended percentage of CoE patent stamp code seen in the control spoon. This is based on the colour coding of the metal. Using three utensils from Count’s table with control item. Removing sliver of metal from each utensil, then testing each one with the solution. U-One = Green colour with thick, brown mark after solution U-Two = Dark red, also with deep brown mark. U-Three = First gave off mixed result from blood-red to dark blue. With the core test, gave off dark blue with no mark afterwards. Must be caused by thick plating of silver over base metal. Control Utensil = Bright blood-red with greyish white mark. Conclusion: Knowing control utensil tested was pure silver, conclude that two of three utensils are of lesser or no silver content. All three have the stamp of elevated silver levels, so, therefore, each should have the same percentage of silver and show the same shade of bright blood-red. Learning this shows a shift of support towards Hypothesis One.

Next phase: test more objects with same patent stamp from different suppliers and households to show the spread of counterfeit silverware. Can be done using small scraping of the item.

Once testing is done, if data shows a pattern of range, will report to Stillwater with findings.