# Sterling and Silver **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 8, 2002, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495 "2002-09-08T02:06:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PurplePerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PurplePerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurplePerson)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495/1 "2002-09-08T02:06:35Z")
If I attach something sterling silver to a surface with silicone glue will there be any chemical reaction between the silver and the silicone? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495/2 "2002-09-08T03:08:28Z")
no ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495/3 "2002-09-08T03:10:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by PurplePerson \* > \*\*If I attach something sterling silver to a surface with silicone glue will there be any chemical reaction between the silver and the silicone? \*\* The silicone adhesives I use seem to have acetic acid (the acid in vinegar) in them. I would find an out of the way place on the silver item and put just a dab of the silicone on it, watch it and see what happens. ---
**Author:** ![PurplePerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PurplePerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurplePerson)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495/4 "2002-09-08T11:22:35Z")
hmmmmm. More replies would be welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495/5 "2002-09-08T12:32:18Z")
At first glance, the answer is no. Silver is pretty inert stuff, excepting sulfur. It should not react with silicones, and the acetic acid mentioned by D. Simmons is probably too weak to cause trouble. However, silicone glues contain a variety of contaminants. Some of them might [corrode silver](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off&as_qdr=all&q=silicone+%22silver+corrosion%22) over a long period of time. [This page](http://www.rap-arcc.org/leaflets/wmsilver.htm) on preservation of silver mentions coating silver with acrylic or nitrocellulose lacquer, micro crystalline or carnauba waxes, but does not have anything about using silicone. I’d take that as an indication that there might be long term problems. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495/6 "2002-09-08T13:33:40Z")
What exactly are you trying to glue? A piece of jewelry? I think that the acetic acid and any other small impurities will react so slowly and to only a small degree that it will hold for a long time(years). If it comes apart later, just glue it again. Now, if you are worried about permanently damaging a Paul Revere original piece, then ask a museum perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![Thinktank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Thinktank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thinktank)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495/7 "2002-09-08T19:35:54Z")
What’s the “sterling” for in sterling silver? The man who invented the refining process? An old Enlgish term passed on?.. Why do we say “sterling silver” instead of just silver… it implies a higher quality whic I think it is to be sterling… still… I need a the dope from a dope :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495/8 "2002-09-08T22:10:12Z")
“Sterling silver” by law in the US is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. Thinks can and are made out of pure silver. Many European countries make things out of 80% silver. The higher the percentage of silver, the less reactive(generally) it will be, as copper _usually_ is what reacts and causes problems. ---
**Author:** ![PurplePerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PurplePerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurplePerson)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495/9 "2002-09-08T22:24:48Z")
I am trying to put a sterling silver cup in a shadow box for a friend. I would like to put a drop of silicone on the bottom. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495/10 "2002-09-08T22:51:39Z")
You should be fine then. At worst you’ll get a bit of tarnish on the bottom of the cup. It should clean off with tarnish remover if you ever remove the cup from the box. ---
**Author:** ![PurplePerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PurplePerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurplePerson)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495/11 "2002-09-08T23:22:27Z")
Thank you very much. Of course I would like to go with this last answer, but just in case, if you are very, very educated on this subject, I would like to hear from you. Otherwise I will go with the last answer and the first answer. By the way, I am a custom picture framer, so this answer is very important to me. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2002, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495/12 "2002-09-08T23:23:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\*“Sterling silver” by law in the US is 92.5% silver and 7.5% copper. \*\* Actually, the only part that is legally required is a minimum of 92.5% silver. The remaining 7.5% can be an alloy, often of copper and zinc. [FTC guidelines for silver content](http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfrhtml_00/Title_16/16cfr23_00.html) [Dictionary.com](http://Dictionary.com) gives the etymology of _sterling_ for those who are interested. I have no idea about reactivity of silver and glue. Scarlett, weekend jewelry maker ---
**Author:** ![PurplePerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PurplePerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurplePerson)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495/13 "2002-09-09T00:25:20Z")
Thank you very much. Of course I would like to go with this last answer, but just in case, if you are very, very educated on this subject, I would like to hear from you. Otherwise I will go with the last answer and the first answer. By the way, I am a custom picture framer, so this answer is very important to me. ---
**Author:** ![PurplePerson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PurplePerson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurplePerson)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495/14 "2002-09-09T00:28:25Z")
I notice I was no longer checked for e-mail notification, so I am writing this so I get e-mailed. Sorry for the interuption. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495/15 "2002-09-09T13:15:57Z")
Sterling silver is that which is sufficiently pure to be used a silver coinage. The British Pound Sterling used to represent precisely that; a pound of silver. That silver had to be of the required purity to count, this was sterling silver. The name has lived on, even though a modern pound would buy you about a gramme of silver. ---
**Author:** ![Thinktank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Thinktank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thinktank)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495/16 "2002-09-09T14:51:33Z")
ok, that’s one part of the answer owlstretch(thanks), but why call it “sterling” over “bert and ernie” or anything else? ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2002, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sterling-and-silver/127495/17 "2002-09-09T16:02:58Z")
See [Dictionary.com](http://Dictionary.com) for the etymology of “sterling,” as I suggested above.