A friend of mine is just starting out exploring jewelry making.
And she will be using copper wire until she has control of methods
and techniques.
She is thinking of using ammonia to patina and color some of the
pieces and I am not sure if the patina will have a bad effect on the
wearers skin.
She could rinse the patinaed wire and put a thin coat of renaissance
wax on it but is this enough?
Any one out there in Orchid land know about this and if it will be a
problem?
Many thanks,
Sharron
Sharron- Once the ammonia is washed off it is safe to wear. The
customer will be more likely to react to the copper than any chemical
that has been applied and washed off.
A nice waxing is a good way to protect the finish but be aware that
wax is soft and will wear off pretty quickly with every day wear as a
ring or bracelet. Any copper contact with skin will likely turn the
customer’s skin green.
have fun and make lots of jewelry
Jo Haemer
timothywgreen.com
The only time I’ve gotten a patinated piece back was when the
purchaser wasallergic to the laquer I used to seal the patina.
Dick Stromberg