Silver patina's to look like brass

Jewelry Discussion
1

I am looking at casting a piece in sterling silver because my caster
does not work in brass. I want the end result to look like antique
brass or a warm gold tone. He said there was a way to patina silver
to a yellow tone. any ideas??

2 
I am looking at casting a piece in sterling silver because my
caster does not work in brass. I want the end result to look like
antique brass or a warm gold tone. He said there was a way to
patina silver to a yellow tone. any ideas??

Liver of sulphur, don’t heat the metal much. Or use the iridescent
patina recipe on Orchid by Katherine Palochak.

Why not cast in bronze?

Elaine
Metalsmith since 1990
and Certified PMC Instructor
http://www.CreativeTextureTools.com ™

3

Teresa,

Liver of sulphur… use it fairly cool and don’t preheat the piece.
Either dip or paint on the LOS and as soon as the color begins to
approach the gold color you want (that’s the first color in the
spectrum that develops), immerse the piece in COLD water and scrub
thoroughly with soap and water. Leave it immersed for a few minutes
and scrub again (I use a toothbrush and my hands, not a brass brush
which would remove the patina).

The piece shown here has more variation in tone than you’re looking
for… I’ve got another piece that has a gorgeous even gold tone all
over but don’t have a photo handy. If you look at the top area of
this piece, you’ll see the color I’m talking about:

http://www.nolimitations.com/index.php?action=product&prod_id=33

If the process goes too far, hit it with a torch and the patina will
burn right off,… pickle and clean and you can start over again.

Enjoy!
Karen Goeller

4

Use another caster for this piece. Try it in bronze.

M’lou

5

Hi, Elaine’s idea is to cast in bronze. Works! I had a man bring me
a long string of brass keys. Made a belt buckle of wax, sprued,
invested, burned out, etc., melted the keys in a crucible and cast
using the Centrifugal caster. I still have some of the keys - will
have to use the vacuum caster now.

Rose Marie
Denver

6

Hi Teresa-

what about casting in bronze? You can get a nice warm yellow toned
bronze- and most casters use it- (because it is used so much in
sculpture)…It will certainly be cheaper than casting in silver
then plating/coloring to yellow- I occasionally get things cast in
bronze and have been satisfied with the result. (email me off list
and I’ll give you the name of my caster if you would like)

Hope this helps-
Ciao- Maureen B.Z. - busy dodging monsoons in Tucson!!