[Jewelry making - Article 00106] - Re: [Orchid] Peroxide & Vinegar

[Nanz Aalund]

========[ Invite a Friend - http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm  ]========

Judy Bjorkman,  

    As far as I could tell from Amy's post her student's copper plating
    was the result of pickling the brass and not heating the brass. 

    A cuprous oxide or a red heat patina that can be achieve on copper is
    more difficult to achieve on brass. The color of the copper left by a
    zinc depletion plating is a dull soft copper and not as intense as
    the red heat patina of cuprous oxide. 

    Since we can not see the metal we are discussing, I based my
    assessment on the years of similar experiences I had while teaching
    metalsmithing at the college level. I also experienced the zinc
    depletion plating of brass as journeyman goldsmith while finishing a
    brass sample line. 

    Back in the late 1970s road reps would carry small independent
    jewelry maker's lines around the country taking orders. Often the
    jewelry makers could not afford to send out "live" goods (real gold &
    diamonds) lest they be stolen. 

    So brass samples with cz's where made and gold plated. Often the
    brass samples did not cast as well as would be hoped for and repair
    work would need to be done, thus the soldering, the pickling, the
    zinc depletion and copper plating. 

    If you find this difficult to believe, test it for yourself. place a
    piece of cold brass in cold pickle and within an hour you will begin
    to see a dull copper (zinc depletion) plating occur on the brass. Of
    course heat speeds this process. And while some zinc may oxidize
    during soldering procedures, even without any heat, pickle will
    dissolve zinc from the surface of brass. 

Nanz Aalund
Associate Editor / Art Jewelry magazine
21027 Crossroads Circle / Waukesha WI 53187-1612
262.796.8776 ext.228
____________________________________________________________________
T h e   O r c h i d   L i s t
Open Electronic Forum for Jewelry Manufacturing Methods and Procedures
____________________________________________________________________
Orchid FAQ:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/faq.htm
Orchid Archives:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive
Orchid Galleries:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/gallery.htm
Invite a Friend:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm
____________________________________________________________________
Tips From The Jeweler's Bench - Article Archive
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/tip_sear.htm
The Jeweler's Selected Bibliography List
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/jewelry-books
Buy Orchid Jewelry:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/shop
____________________________________________________________________
-Unsubscribe:
-Email: orchid-request AT ganoksin.com Body=unsubscribe subject=blank
____________________________________________________________________