Patinas: Liver of Sulfur

Today's Technique

Oxidizing your silver on purpose

page 213

Materials

Sterling silver piece

Patina Gel (from cooltools.us)

Container with lid (glass or plastic - for mixing patina solution)

Mixing Stick (a chopstick is shown here)

Fresh water bath

Soda water bath

Copper dipping tongs

Not shown:

Pickle

Magnetic Polisher

Steps to Success

1. Clean your silver piece. I pickled my piece and then neutralized it in a soda bath and then rinsed it in a fresh water bath. The piece to be used in this week's technique is the large sterling disc. I have it next to a sterling silver heart that has already had a patina applied.

2. Create your solutions. For the soda bath add 2C hot water to 2 tbsp baking soda. For the patina solution, put a few drops of the patina gel into the container with a lid and add 1C hot water. Cover the patina solution so that it retains its heat.

3. Dip your silver piece into the solution - dip into the soda bath - dip into the fresh water bath - check for the oxidation color. Repeat this step until you are satisfied with the color.

4. Use various polishing tools (polishing papers, emery paper, flex shaft attachments, polishing cloths, etc.) to remove the oxidation from higher areas of the silver. I put both pieces into a magnetic polisher for one hour.

I hope you enjoyed this one - I am a bit of a purist when it comes to beautiful, clean silver, but I must say that I enjoyed experimenting with this technique. I am not sure it is something I would employ in my work generally, but I am glad to have tried it. If you have any comments or suggestions for this technique, please do not hesitate to add them here!

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