How to change the color of metals? How to paint pewter black? Technology of blackening tin under bronze

Stained glass in the Tiffany technique is a rather ingenious way of connecting curly pieces of glass. Not without some drawbacks - special materials and equipment are required, however, we must pay tribute to the American comrade. To obtain a pattern, its glass elements are cut out and adjusted, their edges are edged with copper foil with a sticky layer - voila! We connect the parts into a whole with an ordinary soldering iron. As a result, stained glass elements can be made much more bizarre, small, which allows the drawing to be very detailed.

- All clear. This is a thin film mirror. They grow while the flower is alive and take pictures of everything they see. And now these films are evaporating, one after another.

Cartoon "The Secret of the Third Planet".

It must be said that the stained-glass window itself is such a thing, moving its fingers in the air, involuntarily associated with antiquity. Images of lancet windows of an old castle, tapestries, shields and weapons on the walls come to mind by themselves. Gothic of all kinds, finally a little church. In a word, a sort of collective image of a rarity. It is clear that all kinds of metal gizmos of this kind cannot sparkle like a freshly minted coin; from long circulation, an oxide film forms on them, which remains in hard-to-reach places of the product, no matter how much you polish it. This film is called patina, its color depends on the metal. Its appearance - smoothly passing from very light, in open, shabby places, to dark in hard-to-reach places, causes a rapid heartbeat among antique dealers and lovers of antiquity. Patina, besides a kind of "imprint of time", just looks beautiful - a kind of mature, wise beauty against youth and frivolity.

We cannot wait for favors from nature, it is our task to take them from her.
Ivan Vladimirovich Michurin.

Natural patina is formed very slowly, this is really a “life experience” of a piece of iron, however, with the help of simple reagents, it is quite possible to make this kind of film artificially, which often adorns the product very much. Very often patination is used in jewelry. Jewelers' processes are more complex, probably due to the use of precious metals that are more resistant to oxidation. Patina for products made of copper alloys, applied very simply, exist. In our case, we are talking about applying a patina to the surface of a tin-lead alloy (solder-seam) and there are some complications here. Firstly, the place of application is specific - surrounded by glasses, which we do not have the moral right to scratch when preparing the metal (cleaning). Secondly, soldering is carried out without cleaning the surface (foil on glass) and therefore acidic fluxes are used, including a special “solder fat”, the remains of which are even more difficult to wash off. The remains of unwashed flux, as a rule, are the most common cause of failure when applying patina in stained glass.

Having collected my first one, I ran into a problem when patinating the seams. Having studied the process, I discovered that the problem of high-quality patination is quite common in the stained glass business and occurs not only for beginners. As a result of the work, the material was collected and summarized, a number of experiments were carried out. As a result, it turned out in simple ways to achieve an acceptable color of the seams.

Generally speaking, two colors are most often used for chemical staining (patination) of seams in the Tiffany stained glass technique - black and bronze. The composition for imparting a bronze color is not recommended for beginners - it is more capricious, more conditions during application, to obtain an even beautiful film. Moreover, it does not particularly resemble a real patina. The black color of the seams is given by chemicals based on copper sulphate. These compositions are much more docile, after appropriate processing they are very similar to the real "historical" patina and they are preferred much more often. To begin with it, your obedient servant also decided.

What was used in the work.

Tools, materials.
Brush with hard (cut) bristles, dishes, cotton rags. Black patina or blue vitriol, dishwashing detergent, hair dryer, rubber gloves, thin brush. Protective varnish for stained-glass window seams "Antioxidant".

For experiments, I made a small sample - I cut a piece of 4mm glass into squares, wrapped 6 things with the worst Chinese foil and soldered it. I did not grind the edges of the glass on a grinder. Chinese foil, by the way, is not so bad - the adhesive has a little less adhesion and the size range is limited to whole numbers. Given that the founding father, Comrade Tiffany, glued strips of foil with beeswax, we conclude that the people today are simply spoiled. Sample immediately after soldering.

Yes, I want to say that the key elements for the success of the procedure are time and careful removal of flux (acid) residues. With the remnants, everything is clear - not careful enough to remove them leads to ugly spots instead of smooth color transitions, but the time is not that you need to move only by running, but it is important to solder the stained glass window at a time and so that there is little time left for patination. You can't postpone. We solder, immediately wash and wipe. We take it out into the sun and a draft, as soon as it is completely dry, we apply a patina, wash off the remnants, wipe it off, dry it, apply a protective varnish. Not distracted.

To wash the flux, you need to choose a more vigorous dishwashing detergent - whatever Fairy. We immediately dilute it in a plastic soft bottle with a cork pierced with an awl. So it turns out much more convenient than if you pour undiluted on the stained glass window. We arm ourselves with a brush with hard plastic bristles - if this is a stained-glass window larger than mine, you can try to pick up a shoe brush or something like that. In my case, I managed with an old toothbrush. To make it more convenient for her to wield, I molded her handle a little at an angle, softening the base, with hot air from a building hair dryer. Don't forget rubber gloves. The water must be hot. Especially when using solder fat.

Well, nothing so unusual - pour hot water and diluted detergent on our sample, carefully wield a brush. Rinse well and dry almost dry with a clean cotton cloth. In summer, in the sun and breeze, our glass dries quickly. In winter, you should probably put it on a warm stove or use a hair dryer.

Patina. Homemade patina is made from copper sulfate. Aqueous solution 3:1. It dissolves without much desire, so you have to warm it up. It is recommended to add soda ~ 1 teaspoon per 5 liters of solution. A small portion of the finished solution is applied to the area of ​​​​the seam being processed and rubbed well with the same toothbrush. Yes, there is a moment - after washing off the solder fat, there are high chances that its remnants are stuck on the brush - you should not use it further, for patination.

After complete treatment of the stained glass window, it is washed from chemical residues, lightly wiped with a cloth and dried. Above - coating with a factory chemical, purchased in the same place as the rest of the materials for making stained glass. Such a coating, initially somewhat darker, but after light sanding, there is almost no difference.

-Does your relative have beautiful legs? Slim?
- Well... well... Legs are like legs. Medium legs, let's say so.
-Well, okay. It means that bad legs, Lyudmila Prokofievna, must be hidden.
-Where?
-Under the maxi!

Film "Office Romance".

Perhaps you can leave it like that, but much more elegant, it turns out if the seams are a little polished. However, this is a strong word - it is quite enough to rub it well with a rough cloth. Of course, all the soldering irregularities immediately become visible, but the general appearance and impression are much more, hmm, authentic. Yes, regarding the clumsiness of the rations - an unsuccessful patina with spots can be removed either mechanically (with steel wool, wool) or by soldering the stained glass again. When resoldering, the oxides of the old patina form such hard-to-remove islands, they interfere very much and the soldering turns out to be much more clumsy than if done immediately. I had to taste these charms to the fullest - the sample had to be soldered several times in order to prepare it for the subsequent experiment, the stained-glass window also had to be redone due to an unsuccessful attempt.

After giving the patina authenticity, we protect the seams with a special varnish. Stained glass artists call it "antioxidant" - apparently a literal "machine" translation of the great and mighty English language. Sold in the same place as colored glass. In principle, this is the only useful special - "stained glass" chemical. It gives color saturation, protects against further oxidation, repels dust somewhat. It is applied with a thin brush along the treated seams, then thoroughly rubbed with a clean cloth. I saw advice to use car wax polishes instead of such a varnish, and even WD-40.
Below, finished seams on a sample. The foil on the edges of the glasses is not tinned, look only in the middle.

Patina is a coating that covers various objects, giving them the characteristic look of an aged thing. There are two types of patina: natural and artificial. Natural patina is formed under the influence of atmospheric factors. Artificial patina is an imitation that is created using special tools. The color of such a plaque may be different. With natural aging, the patina has a greenish-blue tint. The color of artificial plaque can be brown, dark gray, silver, gold, etc. Copper and black patina are also popular in decoration.

Scope of patina

Patina is not just a plaque that imitates antiquity on a product. This is a decorative technique that allows you to emphasize the beauty of the outlines of the object and the texture of the product itself. For this, for example, black patina is perfect. The patination method is used for:

  • Furniture decoration;
  • Finishes of metal parts of fences, parapets, stair railings, etc. In these cases, copper patina is very popular;
  • Artificial aging of various decorative elements;
  • Coatings of copper products;
  • Solder processing from tin in the manufacture of stained-glass windows, etc.

Copper patina is used to give the desired color to the stained glass seam, which is formed after soldering the stained glass. Used in the manufacture of standard technology, as well as (Tiffany). This composition also helps to prevent uneven oxidation and seam decoration, which ensures an excellent end result. Any products covered with patina look spectacular and noble.

Features of the use of patina for the manufacture of stained glass windows

Usually, before patination, the seam of the product must be treated with an antioxidant. After processing with this tool, the seam is covered with a shiny film and retains its appearance throughout the entire time. The patina has a matte color, and the antioxidant gives it a shine. Patination must be done on both sides.

In the ArtVitrazh24 online store you can buy black patina, as well as other colors and chemical materials on favorable terms. All products presented in this catalog are of good quality and affordable price.

lorelay 29-11-2006 16:18

Hello! Dear craftsmen and lovers, it is very necessary to give a piece of tin an old look. To be gray with greenery. It is very necessary!!! Help with advice!

Bonifatich 29-11-2006 18:14


It's good that I got into the profile, otherwise such things are usually of interest to bullshit ...

message 29-11-2006 19:49

To be honest, I have never seen oxidized tin give off a green color ... And to age, I think, like this: douse with acid, dry with hot air and in a humid place for a while - so that the "moss" grows.

lorelay 29-11-2006 20:04

quote: Originally posted by Bonifatich:
You have amazing work on your site!
It's good that I got into the profile, otherwise such things are usually of interest to bullshit ...

Thanks for the kind words about my work!
Now I am doing work from boxwood (mask) and I need to insert a part from tin so that the view is like an old, tattered

Regards Glory

lorelay 29-11-2006 20:09

quote: Originally posted by Mess:
To be honest, I have never seen oxidized tin give off a green color ... And to age, I think, like this: douse with acid, dry with hot air and in a humid place for a while - so that the "moss" grows.

Thanks a lot! And what kind of acid? I tried to douse with soldering acid, it didn’t work.
And you need to get this effect:
Sincerely, Slava

Vovil 29-11-2006 21:48

Copper plated (electroplating) part of the surface (nail polish) tin, copper patinated

Forex 29-11-2006 23:28

quote: Originally posted by Vovil:
Copper plated (electroplating) part of the surface (nail polish) tin, copper patinated

1.
The easiest way to color tin is to galvanize the object with copper or brass, and then paint it in any way suitable for copper ...

message 30-11-2006 12:41

concentrated or ordinary, slightly diluted orthophosphoric

Yakyt 30-11-2006 06:54

Um...Sorry, that I'm not climbing into my topic.
Is it possible to elaborate on the application of brass by galvanic method?

Vovil 30-11-2006 19:12

Hmm, do-it-yourself magazine, old late 80s, I lost it
The essence is a solution of copper sulphate, a piece of copper to "-" an object coated to "+". There must be a rheostat in the circuit. I don’t remember the current strength (preferably less) and voltage (5-6V), but this is important. Clean the object to be coated from ... degrease as usual. Wood, plastic, fabric are coated with wax, wax with graphite dust, you can also make a relief coating with nail polish. Electroplating and electroplating - words to search for. If I find it, I'll post it, or in PM (soap) I'll write. I did it a long time ago. I seem to need to be corrected. But the current strength and voltage must be found, you need to find the exact values, well, the multimeter, respectively.
There were also children's books "Experiments without explosions" by Ognev, and even more children's of his own.

Yakyt 01-12-2006 07:18

Duc, how to copper something - it is written on all the fences, both electrochemically and chemically.
I once practiced applying a copper substrate to epoxy, however, it turned out quite dumb.
Applying copper is not a problem, zinc is also ... How to combine?
I would like to understand how to apply brass?
Or was it just a typo?

Vovil 01-12-2006 10:39

Brass - not my mistake, you can apply "gold leaf" from brass, they sell it in artists' stores, but this is not exactly what you need to look like. Estati for a tin mask is quite suitable, then you can oxidize and patinate

Since the time of Ancient Russia, it was customary to make tin not only dishes and household utensils, but also various patterned jewelry and jewelry, to say nothing of the world-famous tin soldier from a fairy tale. Even now, it is quite common to find some element of decor from this relatively low-melting metal in every home. But such things do not always look good when they are still completely new, sometimes each of them lacks its little “zest” - antiquity. In our article we will tell you in detail - what is the patination of tin.
Why is this needed?
Often there is a need for artificial aging of tin products. To a greater extent, this is necessary to give them the look of antiquity or even antiquity, so that the thing evokes memories of past eras, for example, when used in theater productions. When the thing is just bought and does not have an antique look, they try to blacken it in order to create the impression that it has just been taken from the museum's expositions.
Of course, one could wait more than a dozen, or even a hundred years, to get a natural patina, formed under the influence of all kinds of natural conditions, but this is absolutely not advisable. After all, tin products can be aged by yourself, using the tools that you can find at your fingertips, in extreme cases - you have to go to a nearby household goods store.
How to properly clean tin?
If your pewter product has become slightly corroded - the so-called "tin plague", then treat its surface with the finest powder of aluminum or zinc, mixing it with caustic soda concentrate. You can also place the product for six hours in hot paraffin. The most important thing is to prevent α-tin from continuing to spread its "disease" to the rest of the uninfected areas of the metal. After all, the activity of this "plague" occurs already at minus three degrees Celsius.
Without stopping the spread of infection, you risk losing the tin thing forever, because the main feature of this metal with a similar problem is that it crumbles into powder, the so-called "grey tin". To prevent this from happening, try to protect these products from excessive hypothermia.
Aging
After some time, all pewter objects are covered with a slight touch of natural patina. This happens under the influence of the environment, but such a process sometimes takes a very, very long time. But what if you don't have it? Then we suggest you make patination of tin yourself. To do this, you can find ready-made patina compositions sold in specialized stores. It is with their help that you will make a completely new look for your pewter product.
For example, after various chemical treatments of a metal already affected by corrosion, “enlightenments” may form, which will need to be patinated. Also, with the help of patina, you can hide defects resulting from the loss of any element of the product. But, for example, if hydrochloric acid is applied to the surface of such a thing made of tin, then you can see a pronounced crystalline structure of the metal. With all its appearance, it resembles the frosty patterns on the windows that we have loved since childhood. This was noticed by masters in ancient times.
Using this technology, they began to specialize in tin plating, drawing their "frost patterns" on the surface of tin sheets. What became very popular at that time among the inhabitants of our country. Now, experts are trying not only to chemically act on the metal, but also to patinate tin using ordinary acrylic paints. Which, mind you, is cheaper than a professional patina bought in a specialized store, and much safer.
The Steadfast Tin Soldier…
First of all, I would like to wish you success in this difficult, and not very difficult, process of aging your “favorite” things made of tin. After all, if you approach it creatively, then you will not notice how time flies, and the result will please not only you, but also your loved ones. Plus, a lot of positive emotions, as well as increased confidence in their abilities!

Patina - film or plaque. There are two types: artificial and natural.

Natural patina is an oxide film that forms on the surface of monuments or decorative items (for example, coins) under the influence of the environment.

Artificial patina - plaque formed on the surface of monuments or decorative items due to the application of special substances (special acids).

From time immemorial, any artistic metal product was decorated with a protective film, and the craftsmen took into account the purpose of the object and the material from which it was made. Perhaps one of the old Kasli craftsmen drew attention to the black-brown coating formed from burnt oil and fat on the walls of cast-iron utensils. Where there was such a film, the dishes did not rust. Then the film began to be deliberately applied to sculpture and other artistic cast iron castings. A durable coating reliably protected the metal from rust and made the work more beautiful, more original.

Craftsmen working with non-ferrous metals are even more inventive. Using simple chemical and heat treatment, they learned to get almost any color on the metal surface. The chemical method of patination - this is the name of this type of finish - makes it possible to obtain a beautiful and durable film on copper, bronze, brass, steel.

Before you start patinating, understand well and strictly observe the precautions in the future. Many chemicals can be poisonous, so keep them in glass vials with well-ground stoppers, away from fire and food. Keep sulfur separate from other chemicals - its vapors are explosive. Chemical processing of metal can only be done in a fume hood or outdoors in summer. Be sure to wear goggles over your eyes and rubber gloves on your hands. For the preparation of solutions and for the patination process itself, use porcelain, glass or plastic dishes. The plastic cuvettes used in photography are very convenient. When mixing acids with water or other liquids, remember that acid must be poured in small portions into water or into a solution, but not vice versa! If acid comes into contact with the skin, flush the area with tap water and then dampen with a 5% solution of baking soda.

Before moving on to various recipes for patinating solutions, let's talk about the sequence of patination.

Whatever way the metal is patinated, it is pre-cleaned, polished, degreased and bleached. Remove grease with a rag soaked in gasoline or alcohol, and bleach in a ten percent solution of some acid. Metal brightens very quickly. Rinse bleached metal with clean water. Dry the metal in the air or in sawdust from deciduous trees.

Sulfur liver

Applies to:

Copper, sterling silver, and bronze or brass (light shade). Does not work on nickel silver.

Colors:
On copper and silver, a range of shades from purple / blue (hard to get) to brown-gray, gray, black. On brass and bronze - only pale golden. Patina is a very thin layer of sulphide and is suitable for textured surfaces. Since the solution acts differently on brass and bronze than copper and silver, it can be used to spot (contrast) color silver-brass or copper-brass alloys.

Instructions:
In 2-4 mugs of hot water, add a pea-sized piece of sulfuric liver. Dissolve completely, check and adjust the strength of the solution. It will depend on whether you are using an old or new chemical and what color you want to achieve. Make sure the metal you are about to paint is absolutely clean and free of grease. Put on gloves and grab the piece by the edges, or hang it from a wire and soak it in a warm solution until the desired color is achieved. Dark color is best obtained gradually, alternating immersion in the solution and rinsing with warm running water. If the surface is slightly uneven, try rubbing it lightly, rinsing it, and dipping it back into the solution. This works especially on textured metal surfaces. On small areas, the solution can be applied with a brush. But be careful when you start to wash it off, make sure that smudges do not appear.

For brass and bronze, use a very, very, very weak solution and repeat the process as above. The result will be light coloring. If no color change occurs, continue to dilute the solution with warm water. As counterintuitive as it may sound, it often works.

Notes:
If the mortar is too strong, the color will change almost instantly, and a layer will form on the surface, which will easily rub off and leave behind an uneven surface. If the metal has not been cleaned well, there may be mottled discoloration.

I prefer to use sulfur liver lumps rather than concentrated solutions. But this is my personal preference. In both forms, sulfuric liver quickly decomposes after being opened and must be kept in a dry, dark place at all times. The prepared solution is good for a very short time, so it is best to get rid of it, unless you are going to use it in the next day or two. Store in a light-tight container in a dark place. If you notice a white, powdery crust on the surface of a piece of sulfur liver, it means that the chemical is old and losing its effectiveness. Use a larger amount of such a chemical to prepare the solution.

Related chemicals such as barium sulfide and ammonium sulfide work on the same principle, but the treated surfaces will have different shades.

Patination in vapors of ammonia

Applies to:

Copper is best, brass and bronze are also painted

Colors:
Dark brown, olive if using salt, mottled bright blue with hints of pure metal (less visible on brass and bronze)

Instructions:
Secure the wire in a plastic container with a lid that is only slightly larger than the object to be painted. This can be done by drilling small holes near its top edge and passing a thick wire through them.

Hang the object to be painted on the wire so that it does not touch the bottom of the container. The metal must be thoroughly cleaned and its surface must have a rough texture (the rougher the better). Pour a small puddle of non-soapy household ammonia into the bottom of the container and close the lid tightly. Vapors of ammonia will themselves color copper in a dark olive color. You can get blotches of bright and dark blue by wetting the surface of the product and sprinkling it with salt before staining. After a couple of hours, check how the process is going, rinse and “salt” again. Finish with ammonia alone if a darker background is desired. Rinse, dry completely and wax.

If the object to be painted cannot be hung up, put it on some kind of stand so that it does not lie in a puddle of ammonia (an inverted plastic lid works well for this), or place the ammonia in some kind of low container.

Notes:
The real bright blue color will become visible only after the final drying of the product. Therefore, in order to check what color is obtained, it may be necessary to dry the product before returning it to the container.

The results of applying this type of patina largely depend on the processing time and the method of applying the salt and may vary. You can achieve a really great result that will justify your time.

Patination in sawdust

Applies to:

Brass or copper. Also, a light shade can be obtained on bronze and nickel, each of them is painted in its own way.

Colors:
Mottled gold, green/blue, brown and black on brass. Mottled light pink, bright blue and black on copper. Slightly mottled on bronze and very slightly mottled on nickel. There may be an etching effect on brass and copper products.

Note:
Here is just one of the many solutions that can be used with sawdust.

Instructions:
16 grams ammonium chloride (optional) 16 grams common salt 300 ml non-soap household ammonia (double the amount if staining copper) 700 ml water

Mix all ingredients until completely dissolved. In a hermetically sealed container in a dark, cool place, the solution can be stored for an arbitrarily long time.

The solution can be used not only with sawdust, but also with many other media. I can offer dried leaves, chopped grass, and cat litter. It is worth trying to use anything that can retain moisture and will not dissolve during patination. The results can be very different and surprisingly unpredictable, so take some time to experiment. When using sawdust, remember that it is the degree of their roughness that determines the pattern of the resulting patina. Do not use sawdust from plywood or pressed cardboard, the adhesive they contain may affect the coloring.

Treat the sawdust with the solution so that it is damp but not soggy. Place them in an airtight plastic container and completely submerge the item to be painted. Put a few pieces of the same metal that you are painting in the same place, but shallow so that you can use them to control the progress of the process without disturbing the product itself. As a rule, the finer the sawdust, the less you want to disturb the product during staining.

The staining time varies greatly depending on which metal and with which carrier is being painted. For brass, you need from 12 to 24 hours (the finer the filings, the longer). Copper stains faster, usually 4 to 6 hours is enough, but you can leave the product for a longer period.

Finely chopped grass or leaves do not absorb moisture as well as sawdust. Therefore, for staining with their help, more solution is required. Prepare a large amount of this media to ensure a moisture reserve at the bottom of the container. Place the product close to the surface. So it will be better colored and it will be more convenient to check and turn it over every hour so that the coloring is more uniform.

When the coloring is finished, rinse and leave to dry overnight. Finish with wax or frosted acrylic spray. A solution mixed with sawdust is only good for a few days. It is best to prepare a fresh mixture each time.

Notes:
This is a very "flexible" way of patination, so don't be afraid to experiment by adding different amounts of ammonia or salt and leaving the product in the sawdust for different times. If the sawdust is not sufficiently moistened, then the staining will be weak. If the sawdust is too wet, mottled coloring will not work, and the metal surface will simply be etched off. And remember: finer textured materials should not be disturbed, while an item immersed in coarser materials such as leaves needs to be rotated more often for even coloring. EXPERIMENT!

Brass patination

Brown and black colors.

Make a solution of 1 liter of water and 60 g of sodium sulfite, which is often called sodium thiosulfite, or hyposulfite. In everyday life, hyposulfite is known as a fixer for photographic paper and film. Add about 5 g of acid (nitric, sulfuric or hydrochloric) to the solution. Immediately there will be a violent reaction with the release of sulfur dioxide. The solution will acquire a cloudy milky color. Dip a brass product into it and after a few seconds remove and inspect. The patina forms very quickly. If the desired color is achieved, rinse the product and dry. The solution has a patinating power for about 20 minutes, then it becomes unusable. True, an aqueous solution of hyposulfite can be stored for a long time, but only if acid is not added to it.

Do not overexpose the metal in solution. Inexperienced craftsmen, wanting to achieve a more intense black color, keep the product in solution until a thick black coating forms. This patina is very weak and is easily washed off with a stream of water. Achieving absolutely black color is also not worth it because the natural luster of the metal is lost under a thick film. Whatever color the patina has, the metal should still be slightly translucent from under it.

If, instead of strong acids, about one tablespoon of vinegar is added to the hyposulfite solution, the same reaction will occur with the release of sulfur dioxide, but it will be much slower. To get an almost black color, brass will have to be kept in solution for at least half an hour.

Olive, brown and black

Make a solution of four parts of ammonia, five parts of water and two parts of copper oxychloride. Copper chlorine oxide and ammonia vapor are poisonous, so follow the safety rules that we talked about. Stir the solution with a glass rod.

It will take on a deep dark blue color. A brass object dropped into it quickly turns olive, then dark brown and black. After removing the object from the solution at the desired stage, rinse it with water and wipe it with a dry cloth. The patina is so strong that it can only be erased with abrasive materials. It should not be wiped with oil - the film already has a beautiful metallic sheen.

orange red color

Dissolve 5 g of potassium sulfide (potassium sulfite) in a liter of water. A brass object dipped into the solution will become covered with an orange-red bloom in a few minutes. After washing, wipe the metal with oil.

Gray and black colors

A strong and beautiful patina is formed on the surface of brass and copper treated in an aqueous solution of sulfuric liver.

To prepare sulfur liver, you need to mix one part of powdered sulfur with two parts of potash in a tin and put on fire. After a few minutes, the powder will melt, darken and begin to sinter, gradually acquiring a dark brown color. (By the way, the sintering of the patinated mass gave the name "liver" in the old days - from the word "oven", "sinter".)

During sintering, sulfur vapor can ignite with a weak blue-green flame. Do not knock down the flame - it will not degrade the quality of sulfuric liver. Stop sintering after about 15 minutes. For long-term storage, crush sulfur liver into powder and pour into a glass jar with a tight lid. When preparing a solution, add 10-20 g of sulfuric liver powder to one liter of water. The patina obtained on metal in a sulfuric liver solution is strong and beautiful.

Copper patination

Black and gray colors

Copper, like brass, is well patinated in an aqueous solution of sulfuric liver, acquiring a thick black color. But such intense coloring is not always necessary. Sometimes, to give an antique look to a copper product, it is enough to apply a light gray tint. Pour 2-3 g of sulfuric liver and 2-3 g of table salt into a liter of water. After the appearance of a gray color, wipe the product and dry it.

Red-brown color

An aqueous solution of zinc chloride and copper sulphate stains copper red-brown. Mix one part copper sulphate with one part zinc chloride and dilute in two parts water. It only takes a few minutes for the copper to turn red-brown. After washing and drying, wipe the metal surface with oil.

 

It might be useful to read: