German silver vs. coin silver

[frogwalking]

It is time to do something about a cheekpiece inlay on the .32 Lancaster project.  The early York kit built a few years ago had a German silver inlay nailed in place.  I had to make final surface height adjustments with the inlay in place, using files and sandpaper.  The dust from this process got imbedded into the wood pores and turned black.  Even after final finish, some of the darkened wood was still visible.  If I use coin silver instead, will this issue still exist?  What do you suggest?

Thanks.

[Hungry Horse]

If it turned black, it probably wasn't German silver. Sterling, and coin silver, oxidizes and turns black, German, or nickel, silver does not, unless you got some kind of chemical reaction from whatever you used on the wood.

  Hungry Horse

[flehto]

I use sterling silver for the cheek star and never had an issue w/  debris  produced when filing and sanding the  star.  It just seems to disappear in the finishing process. The same holds true w/ the Pbox or any other inlay. Below is a sterling silver cheek star and as one can see, there are no darker areas surrounding the star. I prefer to use a small screw to secure the star....it can then be engraved out of the stock. Haven't had any debris problems w/ German silver either.....Fred

 

[T*O*F]

The dust from this process got imbedded into the wood pores and turned black.  Even after final finish, some of the darkened wood was still visible.

Also, you obviously didn't flush that debris out of the wood with a spray can of carburetor cleaner, which would have removed it all.

[Acer Saccharum]

Cleanwoode works, too, but it suddenly got pricey.

Maybe the electronic contact cleaner spray is similar to carb cleaner.

[frogwalking]

Thanks folks.  I should have thought of carb cleaner.  I have a can of brake cleaner in the shop.  Is that similar enough to work? 

[T*O*F]

Brake cleaner will work, but it takes a bit more and is not as aggressive.  However, they both dry and leave no residue behind.