Need A Copper Patina

ddavelarsen

ddavelarsen

Joined
Dec 7, 2000
Messages
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Hey guys, who knows a gas that will quickly oxidize copper? Not looking for green, I need the standard brown color that copper gets to over the years. And it needs to be a gas because this object cannot be immersed in fluid and the parts are too delicate and too numerous to "paint" and "rub" by hand.

Not too picky am I? :D Thanks for any ideas.
 
ddavelarsen said:
Hey guys, who knows a gas that will quickly oxidize copper? Not looking for green, I need the standard brown color that copper gets to over the years. And it needs to be a gas because this object cannot be immersed in fluid and the parts are too delicate and too numerous to "paint" and "rub" by hand.

Not too picky am I? :D Thanks for any ideas.
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dave
try a test peice in a steamer with some cold bluing in it?
it's what I would try first... I have not tried this though so do your safty stuff for fumes..if that don't do it I'd go for Clorox , I wouldn't use a steel pot with the Clorox, you'll get an acid mixure from that..
 
Green is for the most part copper carbonate, black is copper sulphide and brown is copper oxide . Play with a propane torch at the very end of the flame.
 
suspend it in a tent of Amonia.

Cat pee works good :)

It will be green though...........
 
Thanks for the ideas guys, I'll give them a try. It's the oxidized brown color I'm going for. This is all copper parts and copper tape on a plastic substructure, a weird gun for a fantasy movie.

I need a way to tone down the shininess of the plastic parts too, any more ideas? I'm going to try brushing various solvents on the surface first to see what I get. Anyway, thanks for your help!
 
the plastic...........very lightly dab laquer thinner on it. Hard part here is not too much or whatever you will wipe it on with will stick to the plastic.
 
Gun Blue gives a dark brown finish, possible in a steamer it will create enough fume to do the job. I have only used it as a brush on.
 
I never could get IG to cut loose with any of that relish... :D Maybe cause he things no one in Iowa likes hot stuff. That ain't true though, some of us are imports.

Sounds like gun blue is going to be my first try. And Brian, I've been thinking about lacquer thinner and acetone as good ways to rough up the plastic.

I think you guys have it figured out.

Dan, a buddy of mine is an award-winning fantasy author. He has a new book coming out in August and part of the release, a book promotion I guess, is a short movie based on the novel. My gun is gonna kill the monster. ;)

It's not ready for public consumption yet, but when I start getting it close to done I'll post a pic or two.

Thanks for all the help guys. I know it's not right to only come around here lately when I need something and never offer anything else. I don't have a good excuse, just your standard combination of busy and lazy. You figure out which is the greatest proportion. :D One of these days I'll get a couple of non-knife projects out of the way and show you what taking some time off can do! (Like forget how to grind.) :D
 
ddavelarsen said:
I never could get IG to cut loose with any of that relish... :D Maybe cause he things no one in Iowa likes hot stuff. That ain't true though, some of us are imports.

Sounds like gun blue is going to be my first try. And Brian, I've been thinking about lacquer thinner and acetone as good ways to rough up the plastic.

I think you guys have it figured out.

Dan, a buddy of mine is an award-winning fantasy author. He has a new book coming out in August and part of the release, a book promotion I guess, is a short movie based on the novel. My gun is gonna kill the monster. ;)

It's not ready for public consumption yet, but when I start getting it close to done I'll post a pic or two.

Thanks for all the help guys. I know it's not right to only come around here lately when I need something and never offer anything else. I don't have a good excuse, just your standard combination of busy and lazy. You figure out which is the greatest proportion. :D One of these days I'll get a couple of non-knife projects out of the way and show you what taking some time off can do! (Like forget how to grind.) :D
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Dave,



There is a rumor going round that you were about to make some knives. Nice ones, I would think. You're rite, in that you don't want to wait too long, you might forget where you left the grinder. That could pose a problem.
I did have some input on the patina, but someone beat me to it.
Have a good one, Fred
 
maybe we can get him and Steven King together :D I go by his house at least once a week.
the wife had him sign one of his books for her so she could sent it to a old school pen pal that really likes his books in Romania,, that went over real well:D
My oldest son graduated collage last fall and Steven was one of the whatcha call it's speakers and shaking hands there, he graduated U/Maine also,, I'm about ready to tell him he needs a cool boogieman killer knife for his next movie:D

dang that reminds me I think I was going to get some pictures for some one?? dang??? Mike F? was that you? oh man My mind is going now I feel bad I can't remember??:o
 
Thanks guys. Fred I probably started that rumor myself. ;) It's no lie, but the time is sure stretching out. Still, I gotta do what I gotta do. I feel for those folks who are waiting for their knives... J Neilson and my uncle are at the top of that list. Hope I don't get disowned before I get back to my calling! It's probably going to take all summer to get my armor finished, and this gun is pushing that work back a couple of weeks. It's fun though.

Greg the sulphuric/muriatic fumes sound like just the ticket. Too bad I'm such a pussy when it comes to major acid! :D I might give that a try if I don't get the results I need with something more human friendly. I think I know where to find the sulphuric acid if I need to. Yikes!

Dan you can hook me up with Stephen King anytime. He's almost as twisted as Jeff VanderMeer, the guy (I think he's human) I'm doing this gun for. Almost, but not quite...
 
Swimming pool supply or Home Depot - Muriatic acid.
Battery supply - Sulpheric acid
 
Here's the color using that mix on red brass - a high copper (90%+) alloy....
sgian-occles-001.jpg


sgian-occles-002.jpg
 
Good to hear your getting it on in the shop Dave. I've always done the sweaty-hand-rub-thing but, I'm going to have to jot down some of these great ideas.

No sweat on the knife. Any links on your buddy's book? I'm always looking for a good read.
:D
 
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