The No-No of rubber bands - short version

[Kit]

Rubber in its natural state deteriorates rapidly. To strengthen its chemical bonds, rubber is first purified with acetic acid/formic acid and then vulcanized (cured). Vulcanization is a process in which highly reactive sulphur creates bridges that bind rubber molecules together. It is the high number of sulphur crosslinks that gives rubber its flexibility. Many chemicals are added to the process as accelerants and/or retardants.

The discovery of vulcanization is credited to Charles Goodyear in 1839; however, the scientific explanation of what actually happens during the process was not resolved until nearly 130 years later.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_band
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcanization
http://www.bouncing-balls.com/chemistry ... zation.htm

Kit
.

[dmay]

Hooray for this post-this is a huge pet peeve of mine! Thank you for presenting it in a scientific manner.
.

[admin]

Just to clarify...
People have been known to bind groups of spoons or forks together with rubber bands. The sulfur in the rubber reacts chemically with the silver and will over a (short!) period of time actually etch a band of pitted corrosion into the silver. Hand polishing this out is near impossible, generally the surface will have to be ground down and the surface rebuffed. Annoying as hell, to see a perfectly good antique piece unnecessarily damaged in this way.

Regards, Tom

ps. A plastic coated twist tie will work as well, without damaging the silver.
.

[fatso]

Just to clarify...
People have been known to bind groups of spoons or forks together with rubber bands. The sulfur in the rubber reacts chemically with the silver and will over a (short!) period of time actually etch a band of pitted corrosion into the silver. Hand polishing this out is near impossible, generally the surface will have to be ground down and the surface rebuffed. Annoying as hell, to see a perfectly good antique piece unnecessarily damaged in this way.

I am paranoid about pieces of my silver physically touching each other as I do not know the alloy contents filling up my sterling and am afraid that some
electrochemical reaction might ruin them. So they stand well apart but the problem arises with my table flatware. I have decided to wrap it individually in the paper serviettes and store together resting quite tightly against each other in a small mahogany cabinet. Seems to work for me.
.

[kerangoumar]

silver cloth is much better. paper - unless specifically made acid-free - contains acids that will eat whatever they touch.
.

[fatso]

Thanks, valid point. Will get rid of those paper serviettes immediately.
Only problem now- where to get silver cloth in England.
.

[fatso]

Having got rid of dodgy paper serviettes and inspecting each piece of valuable early victorian flatware(few black spots did appear already, required taking care of- thank goodness I did look you up here!) now I am in greater predicament yet, having just acquired from America number of important pieces of historical silver flatware.
So back to the drawing board I went and purchased few bits of storage materiel based on modern technology. The precious flatware will be put into individual compartments and sealed with velcro zip, I suppose. Then rolled, tied and kept in a safe deposit box, the protective cloth made of separate layers of oxidation reducing copper, activated charcoal and an organic polymer. The whole lot based on american proprietary Lucent technology.
Has anybody tried it yet?
Also, I have seen advertised those anti-oxidant strips which you place, discreetly, in your display silver cabinet. They are meant to absorb noxious fumes exuded by wood and paper from your books, thus keeping your silver in the pristine condition. Any experience of that?
.