Martini Shaker

[addertooth]

The first questions I would ask are: What is it made of? Silver Plate, Silver Fill, Sterling Silver, Fine Silver.
Silver plate is normally silver over brass. Silver fill is also normally silver over brass. Sterling is normally an alloy of 92.5% silver, with 7.5% copper.
Fine Silver is typically .99 (or better) silver.

First step is always cleaning and inspection. The various jewelry stores sell high quality silver polishing cloths, which restore a wonderful luster. They also place a very fine film on the surface which reduces the rate tarnish re-forms.

That would determine my "treatment of an area which may need silver-soldered/brazed. Ideally the donor material for the solder/braze needs to match the composition of the silver the object is made of, so you don't get a difference in color.

I restore antique fountain pens as a "side-Gig". The picture below shows two examples of the same pen (Waterman 452 Sterling Ringtop). One had a polishing cloth taken to it. The darker one has been left with the natural Patina. For some people, removing patina from antiques is considered a mortal (and unforgivable) sin.

 

[matthewsx]

Thank you for the insight from someone with experience. That’s what I love about this place….

The shaker needs some cork on the lid, think I’ll start there and use it as/is for now. Definitely know that what’s there now won’t come back easily. There’s something to be said for leaving well enough alone.

Think I’ll make a few batches and see how I feel after

 

[MikeInOr]

Take it to a jeweler that knows what they are doing! They will have the correct low melting point silver solder so the rest of the shaker doesn't fall apart while repairing the hole. They will also have the correct torch so the silver doesn't get overheated and burn holes into the silver. For silver I believe they usually use an acetylene / air torch. Not an acetylene / oxygen torch which would be WAY too hot! They will also have the correct flux to use and the correct pickeling for silver. They should be able to do that repair in way under an hour.

The last class I had to take in college was an art class so I took "metal working". It turned out to be a jewelry making class instead. It was actually a fun class and I learned a good bit. We used primarily silver in the class. I burned a few holes in silver trying to use my fathers oxy-acetylene torch at home!

 

[C-Bag]

Wes the instrument tech uses an oxy gen and acetylene for his micro Smith. I had my smallest tip on my usual OA rig and couldn’t throttle it back enough to do Alumaweld without damage. I tried my plumbers acetylene/air torch and it wouldn’t get hot enough. When I broke out the Meco prob solved. Definitely you need to pay attention with the little torches but keeping a distance and awareness once things are to temp it goes fast. Wes and Tinman are masters. Wes with thin brass and solder and Tinman with as thin as .035 aluminum brazing and gas welding.

 

[woodchucker]

That's a nice little unit but it's well along the way to the cost of a Smith Little Torch which is used by all kinds of jewelers and can work with butane too if oxy-acetylene is too hot.

https://www.amazon.com/Smith-Little-Torch-Soldering-Welding/dp/B000T43L30?th=1

Edit: because I think the first link I posted may be a scam site.

That is way over priced for the unit. I have one looks similar, I have seen them for about $10..
I would not think you need oxy/acet. Most jewlery people get by with oxy/propane I have watched one on and off on youtube.
I'm not saying it wouldn't work..
I was unable to see the broken solder joint. I see a solder joint, but it didn't appear damaged.

I would use a Harris lower temp silver solder. She looks beautiful, and I would not worry about the patina, silver should always be cleaned and kept in a wrap to prevent it from getting to that point. There are anti ox cloths for it to wrap it in when not showing it off.

Very nice..

 

[Ken from ontario]

If you do decide to go with Smith little torch just be aware of the Chinese copy of this torch , these fake ones can be bought for under $25 ,there are a couple of ways to tell them apart, the genuine torch has / red and green knobs and the red(Acetylene) knob is always on the left side, the fake ones sometimes are placed on the opposite side but the best way is to look at the green (Oxygen) knob, the Chinese ones are a light blue or light green color and also do not have the manufacturer's name on the body of the torch.