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Silver patina finish

Hand Lettering topics: Sign Making, Design, Fabrication, Letterheads, Sign Books.

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Roderick Treece
Posts: 1086
Joined: Sat Apr 10, 2004 8:04 pm
Location: San deigo Calif
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Silver patina finish

Post by Roderick Treece »

This ones from the no brain left dept.
Years ago I did a finish on silver leaf that looked like dark lead.Anybody know how to do that.All I remember is that it was a 2 part chemical process.You put one chemical on and then when you apply the next one it turned the silver into a beutiful dark lead patina.

Thanks Roderick
P.S Thanks for finding my check John!Gtta love those Englishmen
Sarah King
Posts: 167
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 8:43 pm
Location: Oak Park IL
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Post by Sarah King »

The best way to turn silver dark is with sulpher - as in egg yolks and/or mayonnaise. The book Coloring, Bronzing and Patination of Metals says to wipe it with ammonium sulphide using a soft cloth then rinse and let air dry. I don't know of a standard patina that has ammonium sulphide in it.

Or you could by-pass the silver and mirror it with lead sulphide directly (shameless self-promotion - sorry - it just slipped out)

Sarah
Sarah King
AngelGilding.com
Roderick Treece
Posts: 1086
Joined: Sat Apr 10, 2004 8:04 pm
Location: San deigo Calif
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Post by Roderick Treece »

Thanks for the reply Sara.
I will try your suggestion.I've received a little more info on the "Lead finish I discribribed.After apllying silver leaf with oil size.Wash on Cupric Nitrite/ ammonium chloride first and then barium sulfide second without rinseing between.It produces a beutiful lead finish.This does not work on water guilded (glass ) SILVER ,only oil guilded.It would be nice to try it with chemical silver mirroring .That might work.As soon as I receive the ratios I will let you know.

Roderick
Sarah King
Posts: 167
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 8:43 pm
Location: Oak Park IL
Contact:

Post by Sarah King »

Sounds like a great way to "antique" a silver mirror - if it works on mirror. I'd love to know the ratios for it. Please keep us posted.

Sarah
Sarah King
AngelGilding.com
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