A customer brought in an antique pot made by Christofle. According to the engraving, it seems to have been made 30-40 years ago. The customer asked the Christofle distributor to repair it directly, but they replied that it was impossible. The repair request came to us after a roundabout way.

The material is zinc alloy, which means it is a mass-produced model. Also, it was silver-plated. The base of the handle of this pot was completely broken off. Moreover, there are traces of an attempt to attach it with superglue・・・・. Soldering, brazing or welding seems to be physically impossible as the zinc alloy has a low melting point and melts, which also affects the plating process.

We start by cleaning the rupture part, as there is superglue residue on there. (Please note that if superglue is on the surface, it cannot be repaired smoothly) After that, we prepare the cross-section so that it adheres face to face and creates a ‘snag’ for positioning and preventing displacement. The last step is to bond with epoxy hardening resin.

In the first place, it is impossible to fundamentally repair old plated products.

Originally, whoever made this did not consider the product to be used for a long time.
Even if elaborate engravings were done, they were made at an era when the cost of labor was much lower than the cost of metal material. The only way to repair a beautifully decorated item is to bond it back together. It might only last for three to five years. If you are buying an antique item, plated items (copper alloys, sometimes called white copper, white silver, coin silver or antimony) should be avoided. We recommend choosing silver items.

 

Regarding Repair of Metalcraft

We offer repair and maintenance services for metal crafts regardless of whether they are made in the East or West. The care and repair of damaged metal crafts is just as important to us as the manufacture of our products. Repairs are difficult to determine without seeing the item in person. Therefore, please bring or send the repaired item to us for consultation. Please refer to “Regarding Repair of Metalcraft”, for more detail.

*Regarding the repair of other companies’ products:
We believe that metal products have a longer lifespan than other materials, and therefore, manufacturers are responsible for the repair of their products. Also, manufacturers are more familiar with the materials and techniques used, so their labor costs are often lower than ours. If the manufacturer or distributor is still in existence, please contact them first for repair.