Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
A: You are welcome to call us toll-free at 877-255-0193 for a free consultation and estimate. You can also reach us by email at DaveFriedman4Repair@gmail.com. Sending photos of your item helps us give you a more accurate estimate.
We have a price list/guide for estimating. This is for use at our counter only, or for over the phone or email estimates. Final quotes are given after inspection. We do not proceed without your approval.
Yes. Upon receipt of your repairs, you must be satisfied. A Friedman Silversmith plating job, given good care and under ‘normal conditions’ is guaranteed for 25 years.
Sorry, we do not.
A: Please visit our shipping information page for more details about sending us your order.
Silver Repair
A: We repair and restore nearly any silver antique. That includes repairing and replacing loose, worn out or broken knife blades. We solder or replace broken parts, remove dents, remove garbage disposal damage, corrosion and unwanted engravings. We can also clean and polish items back to life. We repair broken antique mirrors as well.
We repair sterling silver, silver plate, pewter, brass, spelter, copper, Britannia metal and more.
We repair sterling jewelry and also replate jewelry in silver and gold.
A: We repair and restore most antiques. That includes flatware, sterling silver, silver plate, coffee and tea sets, Judaica, church ware, lamps, candelabras and candle sticks, and even musical instrument mouthpieces.
We also repair and replace broken mirrors and faux tortoise shell combs.
A: Absolutely. We restore many non-antique and non-silver items including lamps, desk accessories and jewlery. Call or email us for any of your needs. We gladly work for artisans and small manufacturers.
Yes, we take great pride in our silver knife blade replacement and repairs. We can straighten or replace silver knife blades damaged from garbage disposals or simply age and wear. Your silver flatware will look like new.
Yes, absolutely.
Yes. We can restore your well-used silver to a smooth, beautiful condition.
Yes, we do.
Yes, we can fix your mangled, damaged silver flatware that fell into a garbage disposal. We can straighten and repair the damage so it looks like new.
Yes! We can solder all these materials.
We do not want you to spend money on repairs or plating unless it is appropriate. Sometimes you may opt to restore an heirloom because of the personal value it holds for you. We can discuss all the factors that go into making this decision and help you to move in the right direction.
Silver Replating
High quality replating is not inexpensive, but it is a good value. Remember: “silver is the same as money”. Also, there is no automation in our repairing and replating process. Every operation is done BY HAND and by the time your item is ready for plating, it has been repaired and beautifully polished to a jewel finish. Then, it is plated and final polished and cleaned. Items are not simply “dipped” and come out looking restored. Careful replating is a very skilled and labor-intensive process which involves the skill of an experienced professional.
A: We do silver plating, gold plating and nickel plating. We guarantee satisfaction with every plating order.
A: The amount of silver on each item is determined by two things. First, how much electric current goes through the piece during the electro-plating process. Second, how much time the item spends in the electro-plating bath. Friedman Silversmiths plates giving a very heavy deposit of silver which provides for many years of durability. We only provide heavy plating which is the benefit of ‘non-factory’ type work. Each item is handled individually.
No. Bright nickel plating prior to silver plating on antiques is a shortcut and should not be done. Some shops use nickel pre-plating instead of performing the proper polishing and preparation on your silver piece.
Yes. We process many non-antique items, lamp parts, musical instrument parts, badges/pins, etc.
Yes and no. We will ‘oxidize’ your antique to accentuate the engraving, patterns, designs, etc. We do not charge extra for this antiquing process (some shops do). This is called our “Antique Finish”. Your restored piece will have a nice luster. It will soften and look warmer over time as it will with occasional hand polishing.
Yes.