Lining a silverware tray

[Russell Tribby]

Has anyone had to line a silverware tray before? I've got a repeat customer that wants a tray lined with the anti tarnish cloth or felt for her new collection. I'm not sure if she wants individual compartments or the dividers that look like dentil molding. We haven't got that far in the discussion yet. I'm wondering how hard/tedious it is to wrap that cloth and make it look good.

[John Keeton]

Russell, I have never tried it before, but getting ready to flock some boxes I am building. Don't know if that would give you the look, but it is available in a variety of colors and doesn't appear to be all that difficult to do. Just a thought. Edited to add - you may want to investigate the effect, if any, that adhesives (including the flocking) would have on silver objects??

[Russell Tribby]

John, I'd love to see some pics. I'll look at the flocking and see if that would work for my application. My wife mentioned the same thing about the adhesives. I'll poke around and see if I can find some expert advice regarding the effects, if any, of those chemicals on silverware.

[Steve Schoene]

You do want genuine silver cloth. The long traditional brand is Pacific silver cloth. When there were fabric stores you could get it locally, now you may have to order it online. You can fine those "dentil" blocks already covered with the cloth, along with the matching cloth. It's not real cheap, but it does really work.

[David DeCristoforo]

Trust me... while lining the drawers is pretty simple, making your own dividers is a "bee atch". Fortunately they are readily available. Look here for starters:

http://www.nancysilver.com/storage/reed_barton/drawerpads.htm

Then "google" "Pacific Silvercloth" or "Reed and Barton". You will find lot of sources for the cloth and fittings. I have gone so far as to buy a pre-made chest and strip the fittings out of it.....

[Brent Smith]

Trust me... while lining the drawers is pretty simple, making your own dividers is a "bee atch". Fortunately they are readily available. Look here for starters:

http://www.nancysilver.com/storage/reed_barton/drawerpads.htm

The "google" "Pacific Silvercloth" or "Reed and Barton". You will find lot of sources for the cloth and fittings. I have gone so fat as to buy a pre-made chest and strip the fittings out of it.....

Well David, it appears we agree one one more thing. I just finished a silverware case a few weeks ago and used those exact trays and silver cloth from Nancysilver to do it. I used water based contact cement to line the inside of the case with the silver cloth.

[David DeCristoforo]

"I used water based contact cement to line the inside of the case..."

My favorite method is to make the liners out of 1/8" ply covered with cloth. I like to round the top edges of the side liners and wrap the cloth over the rounded edge. Makes for a very "clean" look with no "raw" edges. I have had great success using 3M "Super 77" for bonding.

PS I'll bet we can agree on all kinds of stuff....