_To Forge Silver._—The gunsmith will not have much to do with silver in the work of his trade, though instances may occur now and then when he will be called upon to make or repair mountings or ornaments for gun-stocks formed of this metal, and also foresights, particularly for the old fashioned Kentucky rifle. In shaping silver under the hammer no heat will be necessary at the hammering—it would do no good. The metal is so malleable that it may be drawn into almost any shape by simply hammering cold. The only trouble liable to come up in this kind of work will be the hardening of the metal under the influence of the hammer; but this trouble may be pretty effectually removed by heating the silver to redness, and then letting it cool gradually of itself. Care must be taken not to heat it too much above the first appearance of red, as it melts quite easily. _To Polish Silver._—File it down to the shape desired, then dress with a fine file; then work over thoroughly with a burnisher. Next buff it off with rotten stone, and if a particularly fine finish is desired buff again with rouge. _Light Plate for Copper or Brass._—Dissolve silver in nitric acid by the assistance of heat; put some pieces of copper into the solution and immediately the silver will be precipitated. With fifteen or twenty grains of the precipitate thus obtained mix half a drachm of alum and two drachms each of tartar and common salt. Pulverize well together. Having thoroughly cleaned the surface to be plated, rub it well and hard with the mixture, using a bit of chamois skin, until it presents a white appearance. Next polish off with soft leather until bright. Inferior as this kind of plating would seem, it will wear a long time. _To Clean Silver._—Wash with a little spirits of ammonia reduced in strength by twice its bulk of pure water, then rub dry and bright with soft leather. No kind of polishing powder will be necessary. Some workmen clean silver by first washing it over with diluted muriatic acid, then immediately covering the surface with dry prepared chalk, then brushing off and rubbing clean with a bit of chamois skin. It acts very well, but care must be had to get the acid thoroughly cleaned off else it will have a tendency to soon tarnish the silver. _To Work Copper._—This metal is almost as malleable as silver, and works very well under the hammer in a cold state. Heat adds nothing to its malleability, though, as in the case of silver, exposure to a low degree of heat, followed by gradual cooling, softens it somewhat when it has been rendered hard and brittle by long hammering. It polishes very well, but does not long retain its polish and brilliancy on account of its disposition to oxidize. Heating increases its oxidation; repeatedly heating and cooling would soon wear it entirely away.