What are your best tips for polishing old silver jewelry? Some of my new acquisitions have spots and blemishes in addition to the tarnish.
Thanks!
A few photos of the pieces would be helpful. Some patinas are desirable and priceless, some tarnish is not. 
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Ooh these are really lovely. Sunshine cloth, trying not to get into the recessed layer. Because it’s Hopi it wants to be bright polished, or nearly bright. Be gentle and go slowly. Always do less rather than more and you’ll be fine.
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Thanks!! Now to find “sunshine cloth”…
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some hopi pieces were finished with a lightly “brushed” or satin type surface, so don’t be surprise if you find that under the tarnish.
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I have a couple Hopi pieces that have the brushed appearance that @Jemez2 mentioned. I love them that way, but I also have a bunch that have the highly polished surface and that’s beautiful too. Definitely go about it gently as @chicfarmer suggests.
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K, this isn’t the greatest example, but it was the best picture I could get. The long earring on the left definitely has the more satin finish, and the round one has the higher shine finish (when I remember to polish it LOL). When I bought them they clearly had different finishes.
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I have found the satin brushed finish on Hopi jewelry doesn’t hold up well to polishing, even when using just a polishing cloth. If you want to restore the satin finish, I have used 0000 steel wool with success. Be mindful to brush the piece in the same direction and as chicfarmer mentioned, be gentle and don’t push deep over the recessed areas.
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I have to say I was thinking of the bright-polished pieces in mentioning the Sunshine cloth. Great tip about following the “grain” of the satin finish, just like you do for a stainless steel appliance.
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