Welcome To Our Part of Earth!
Nestled in the mountains of Southwest Virginia
Dickenson County (Virginia's Baby)
      in the Heart of Appalachia, in God's Country.
Mountain Art Works, LLC
Mountain Art Works, LLC - All Rights Reserved
One-Way Window Glass

CAUTION: Chemicals and ready-to-use solutions will cause stubborn stains on hands and clothing.
  • Clean glass with soap and water, then rinse thoroughly, handling the glass on the edges only. Let
    glass dry.

  • Use a small mop, or make one with cotton on a stick. Pour a little nitric acid on the surface of the
    glass and spread it around with the mop. Flush the surface with water, then place the glass face
    down in a basin of clean water, to keep it clean until you are ready to treat it.

  • Get 5 clean glasses. In one make Solution A, by dissolving 1 ounce of silver nitrate in 10 ounces
    of distilled water. Set aside 1 ounce of this solution to use later. Then with a medicine dropper
    and constant stirring with a glass rod, "ammoniate" your Solution A, by adding, drop by drop,
    some strong 10% to 26% AQUA AMMONIA. At first, a thick, brownish mass will appear, but
    as more ammonia is added, this will begin to thin out. Stop adding ammonia when the solution has
    become just barely cloudy, not entirely clear.

  • Next, in a separate container, mix one ounce of caustic potash, known as potassium hydroxide,
    with 10 1/2 ounces of water. Note: slowly add the caustic to the water. NEVER add water to the
    caustic. Pour this solution into the ammoniated silver nitrate solution and stir very thoroughly.

  • Then again, add strong ammonia water, drop by drop, until the solution is just barely cloudy, as
    before. Now pour in the remainder of the non-ammoniated silver nitrate solution, the portion
    originally set aside. The main solution should once again become slightly cloudy. Make a solution
    of one ounce of glucose in ten ounces of distilled water and stir it into the main solution, which is
    now ready to use. This glucose is also known as dextrose, or just plain corn sugar.

  • The "silvering" should be done on a level table. Remove the glass from the basin and set it on the
    edge to dry, then support it, sterile face up, on the corners of four upturned identical highball
    glasses, or the like. Place a small mirror, under the glass, at an angle (this will enable you to see
    the reflection of the silvering process, so that you can stop at the right time).

  • Pour enough solution on the glass to cover it, and leave it undisturbed until the desired film of
    silver has been deposited. By looking at the mirror you placed on the table, at a slight angle,
    facing upwards, you are able to see the reflection of the silvering process, and stop at the moment
    when the right degree of reflection and transparency has been achieved. This will usually be about
    20 minutes.

  • Then tip off the solution at one corner and flush thoroughly with running water. Set the glass on
    edge and let drain dry WITHOUT touching the delicate film. Wash thoroughly dry, put on a coat
    of clear varnish with a soft camel-hair brush, or better, with a spray gun. When this dries, you
    may choose to further protect the silvering by taping to the transparent mirror another sheet of
    plain, clean glass of the same size.

  • In use, the light on the mirror side should be stronger than on the back, and you should be able to
    see everything clearly through the mirror from the back; while anyone on the other side sees
    nothing but an ordinary mirror. Should you not be able to see clearly through the mirror, you have
    allowed the silvering process to continue too long. In order to achieve perfection, practice with
    small mirrors, until you have the timing just right. Such small mirrors, as small as 8"x12", have sold
    for as much as $12, which is of course far more than your cost to make. Good luck!

  • ***For information purposes only***