Help aging copper...

Rick Baum

Rick Baum

Joined
Mar 14, 2000
Messages
509
Hello all,

It's been a while since I posted. I got a new assignment at work and it's keeping me from staying in touch with you guys.

I have a question about copper used for guards. I have a nice thick piece of copper bar stock that I'm considering using for a guard on my first forged and home heat treated knife. I am thinking that since I etched the blade, it has a kind of antiqued appearance and a shiny copper guard would be out of place. Can anyone tell me a good way to artificially age the copper to a nice warm brown color? Something that can be done after the guard has been soldered in place and final shaping and polishing has been done? In case it makes a difference, I will be using a short stack of leather washers with some copper and fiber spacers mixed in and then horn will top it off. Kind of a Scagel looking handle but Gemsbok horn instead of antler. So... whatever method I end up using must be friendly to leather and horn. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Rick
 
Rick,

the only way that I know is to use heat. Heat in the forge until the copper turns black then cool and buff. Makes a real nice redish brown color. Not very friendly to the other handle materials. If you are going to use a stick tang with a pommel, then you could stack every thing together and shape, sand and polish. Then remove the gaurd heat repolish and then solder glue everything together.

Just an Idea
 
Thanks Bill. That's a great idea except she's going to be pommel-less. Maybe I can glue up and shape the leather stack off of the knife somehow and then assemble it after I age the guard. This is going to be a fun one.

By the way... Did you get your oil alright? I wish we could have hooked up. Oh well, next time.

Rick
 
baumr,
Check out a stained glass shop. They will normally handle all those solutions. While I'm not sure what they might do to leather, any that I've used have been pretty simple to work with.
 
Liver 0f sulfer will turn it black.I used to work in art bronze foundries when I was in school.They usually had an expert in patinas.I think that it was ferric nitrate that made brown.Go to ww.sculptor.org and I am sure you will find links that will give you all the formulas you need.
Chuck
 
See... Now this is why I love this site! Thank you all for your help. This is exacly what the doctor ordered. I'm thinking that I can completely assemble the knife and use a resist on the areas that I don't want to treat. Wish me luck! I'll post pic's when she's done.

Thanks again,
Rick
 
Please do not heat any copper or brass in your forging forge. It may damage the forge and keep it from reaching the heats you need for forging.
Ken (wwjd)
 
A note: many if not most of the chemicals used to patina copper/brass/broze, will also affect steel. When doing a guard I CAREFULLY rub some paste wax on the steel (don't want it on the guard or wahtever)to act as a barrier.

I've gotten the chemicals on leather quite often (sheaths you know) and as long is it isn't bare leather (no finish of any kind)and wipe off the drip ASAP it hasn't caused any problems.
Also gotten it on antler, mainly elk and mule deer, and so far the stuff I've used hasn't affected it.
 
I have used Ferric Nitrate such as akivory mentioned in his post. I purchased it at a chemical supply store here in Denver. It was the chemist there that recommended it. I looks like orange pretzel salt. I mix a little with warm water and apply. The copper should be cleaned of any glaze it might have from stamping or manufacture. I deglazed mine with fine steelwool. This does a nice job. I added this patina to some copper leather rivets. I was pleased with the results. Where the solution was left to set or pool on the rivets turned a light green. This same solution will put a nice patina on steel too. If you dont want your blade to have patina on it you better protect it. One thing I think would work is chlorine such as swimming pool chlorine. I work for a water utility and carry this stuff in a pill form. All the copper and brass fittings that are in my tool box have tons or all the "patina" you could imagine.

Good luck

Joe
 
Thanks for all of the suggestions guys! I made a call to sculptnouveau this afternoon. They were very helpful. For what it's worth to anyone, they recommended using tool dip as a resist. That is what their artists use to protect areas that they don't want treated. I just happen to have some. I ordered a couple of their patinas. I will let you know how it goes. I should be done after the weekend. Tonight I will be soldering the guard on and gluing up the leather stack. Wish me luck, I have only soldered one guard so far! I'll keep you updated.

Rick
 
If your patient and not in a hurry, just hand the knife to everyone you meet. I got this tip from the Jones Brother this past December at Timonium. I have a neo-primitive dagger I did with a copper guard and when I finished it I waxed everything but the guard. Then every day I would just rub the guard with my hands, preferably sweaty. It took a couple weeks but, the guard got nice dark red with purple highlights. I swear the thing looks like it was anodized of something. After you get it a little darker than you want, wax the tar out of it.
 
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