I’ve got a salt shaker that’s got a crystal base and a silver screw-on top. The top is heavily tarnished, and will not twist off with reasonable hand effort.
Any suggestions on getting the top off without damaging the silver or the crystal?
Thanks.
Run the lid under hot, hot tap water, and then turn the lid off with a towel. The lid should expand with the heat, and become “looser”
Hey Stupendous:
I’ve definitely tried that on less fragile things in the past. Any concerns about trying it with silver and fine crystal?
If that doesn’t work try soaking the shaker in water for a couple of days. Put the shaker in the water upside down so that the air in the threads can escape and add a drop of soap to the water to make it slipperier.
If nothing else, the soaking in water over a few days may dissolve salt crystals that are trapped in the threads. It should make it easier to twist off.
If it was really important I’d contact an antique store or a museum. For example, it might make a difference what kind of crystal it is (or maybe it’s rock crystal).
I’d do a combination of things, if I was feeling lazy. All of the following, maybe repeatedly:
Soak in hot water.
Soak it in hot oil.
Poke into holes with a toothpick.
Microwave it.
Put it in an ultrasonic cleaner (the sort used to clean jewelry).
I can’t see the crystal for a salt shaker being so fragile that contact with hot water will damage it. Try warm water instead. It should still work. Get it in the threads to dissolve salt particles .
Just don’t thermally shock the crystal by sticking it under scalding hot water suddenly. Warm it slowly if you want to be safe, until it is quite hot. Silver should expand more than enough to break the tarnish/salt bonds that is holding it to the glass threads.