Silverware at all times was considered a sign of good taste. Along with other values, silver cutlery was accepted to be handed down by inheritance or given in especially solemn occasions. About how to choose the right silverware, we'll talk today.
Silver cutlery - the subtleties of choice
Step one - define with completeness
On sale, you can find silver table sets, consisting of a different number of elements, designed for 6 and 12 people. In addition to the main devices used directly for food, such a set may include auxiliary devices, whose purpose is to shift food from the general utensils to individual: paddles, forceps, etc.
Step two - pay attention to the brand
Let us make a reservation at once that table silver has long been no longer a silver in the chemical sense of the word. Products made of pure silver are too soft and quickly lose the outer gloss and form, becoming covered with dents and scratches. For more than two centuries, cutlery has been made from so-called sterling silver - an alloy of silver and copper. One kilogram of such an alloy contains 925 grams of silver and 75 grams of copper (925 samples). On sale, you can find products that produced an alloy of 800 grams of silver and 200 grams of copper (800 samples). It should be taken into account that according to the standard in Russia, products made of an alloy containing less than 800 silver units per 1000 alloy units are not considered precious, and therefore they are not subject to stigma. Silver-plated products are marked with numbers from 90 to 150, which indicate how many grams of silver was used to cover 12 items (spoons, forks, etc.).
Step Three - we conduct an external inspection
After determining the sample and composition, we proceed to an external inspection of the selected silver. It does not matter which set of silver cutlery you chose - children's, for 6 or 12 people - all of its elements should not have burrs, chips, stains and scratches. Patterned inserts on all components of the set should be externally identical. Cuttings of "right" spoons and forks have a noticeable thickening on the bend, and their thickness should not be less than 2 mm. The depth of the spoons should be from 7 to 10 mm.
How to care for silver?
Silver cutlery is prone to natural corrosion, so they need special and careful care. So, for their cleaning it is necessary to use special means, and after using them it is necessary to wipe dry. Wash the silver appliances by hand, rinsing in the end with cold water.