How exactly do we flake off pieces of our silver to pay for stuff when SHTF?

No one is going to trade food for pieces of metal.

Use a sharp chisel to cut off portions. Then melt down into applicable buttons. Most people don't know this but you can actually use a potato as a crucible with a propane torch.

Not the best way but certainly doable.

No one will trade silver for food or ammo in an SHTF situation. You might trade them on the Black Market which will surely develop, for pennies on the dollar at that time but it won't be as a typical matter of trade for a very long time after.

The reasons being, that no one can be sure of the purity, for one. You can't eat it and outside the black street corner market, very few will want it to begin with. The hype put out by the sellers is BS. You would only be able to exchange it at places not likely to even exist anymore, at that time.

It is very likely that mass food shortages, civil disruption, and ultimately an economic collapse of the society essentially the same as in Venezuela will occur. Better to stock up on beans and bullets, so to speak. Then YOU can be the guy who can offer a pound of beans for an ounce of silver, instead of the other way around.

During WW II people traded suitcases of silver and jewelry for food. I dont think your going to have to worry about shaving it.

Rare metal's are wealth preservers for the future, but sure you will be able to trade some for what you need.
But the value will be much less.
What will a bic lighter a wool blanket a tarp be worth?

You will barter and trade.

Did cowboys pay for their whiskey at the saloon by trading booze for bullets "A SHOT".

I think they are flaking gold in Venezuela. Silver is cheap.

How will we know how much to flake off? It’s getting scary out there.

In the ancient Roman times they used to clip off parts of gold and silver coins.

Of course they crucified you if you got caught.

Crucified if you were lucky.

I can’t imagine what hungry and angry black market bullies will do when they find out you fucked them.

There's a good book about the Argentinian collapse. The author used links from a gold necklace to pay for things at the market.

[link to www.amazon.com (secure)]

Yes, I read gold too. Unfortunately I couldn’t afford any gold so I went with silver. Sure hope it will come in handy someday.

Or these; [link to www.moneymetals.com (secure)]

No saw, grinders, hoagies (kidding), or melting pot required.

If all you got is a few small silver coins, that ain't shit for the long haul you'd be better of investing in lead and body armor

What makes silver valuable? It's a manufacturing resource, but if there's no demand it will become useless too...

No one is going to trade food for pieces of metal.

Ezek 7:19

"They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity."

Silver and other precious metals are useful in manufacturing and hightech applications. If nobody is producing semiconductor chips or circuit boards.
I'd rather have a stock of tool steel, or aluminum. Both require alot of energy to make.

People who have stocked up on lots of food will surely give a small portion of it up for some valuable silver. People who know how to grow or hunt their food, will also surely accept valuable silver for a portion of their food.

Silver (and gold) will ALWAYS be accepted for essential goods, unless the ground no longer can produce food, or wild animals completely cease to exist.

I will happily sell a can of tuna or cup of rice for several ounces of silver after SHTF.

No one is going to trade food for pieces of metal.

What makes silver valuable? It's a manufacturing resource, but if there's no demand it will become useless too...

Is there a proper or better way to do it?

Yes it's called pieces of eight for which you need a sharp chisel, hammer, steady hand and of course a common silver coin. The scored coin can then be broken down to pay for the purchase and the seller gets thue added reassurance that it's good silver. It was common throughout the Americas at one time.

Precious metals have always had value as trade items. Precious stone also.
Eventually some form of local government will be established after SHTF and they will need metals to make currency( non fiat money).
So for anyone planning to live through the SHTF, it will have value eventually.

No one is going to trade food for pieces of metal.