A silk purse from a sow's ear?

[Dale Thompson]

For you Chemist's out there. I'm trying to make a couple of 1 1/2 inch diameter antique brass discs as door knob inlays. I've got some .010 BRIGHT brass shim stock and would like to try to convert BRIGHT to ANTIQUE. My rapidly fading brain cells suggest that a deep "etch" would allow me to use a paint or stain to do the conversion. :confused:

I tried some Muriatic Acid and that only makes the bright brass BRIGHTER! :o

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated! Do I need H2SO4, HCl, etc., or am I barking up the wrong tree!

Thank you in advance,
Dale T.

[Carl Eyman]

Don't be like the guy from Bangor . . .

" What he thought was H20 was H2SO4"

from my high school days Carl

[David Rose]

Birchwood Casey's Brass Black will turn it pretty black and you can easily rub through what you want brassy. Most places that carry gun bluing solutions will carry it. Gun shops would be one source.

If you know anyone who shoots black powder guns, a patch that has been run through the bore (cleaning the gun) will do more of an antiquing effect. I don't know what remains after the black powder burns but there is some type of sulphurous salt that I suspect is the active ingredient. The patches can be saved in a zip lock bag.

David

[Dale Thompson]

David,
Thank you. I'll give it a go.

Dale T.


Birchwood Casey's Brass Black will turn it pretty black and you can easily rub through what you want brassy. Most places that carry gun bluing solutions will carry it. Gun shops would be one source.

If you know anyone who shoots black powder guns, a patch that has been run through the bore (cleaning the gun) will do more of an antiquing effect. I don't know what remains after the black powder burns but there is some type of sulphurous salt that I suspect is the active ingredient. The patches can be saved in a zip lock bag.

David
:)

[Eric Apple - Central IN]

For you Chemist's out there. I'm trying to make a couple of 1 1/2 inch diameter antique brass discs as door knob inlays. I've got some .010 BRIGHT brass shim stock and would like to try to convert BRIGHT to ANTIQUE. My rapidly fading brain cells suggest that a deep "etch" would allow me to use a paint or stain to do the conversion. :confused:

I tried some Muriatic Acid and that only makes the bright brass BRIGHTER! :o

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated! Do I need H2SO4, HCl, etc., or am I barking up the wrong tree!

Thank you in advance,
Dale T.


I've not tried this. But, here is a blacksmith recipe provided by Travis Fleming of Fleming Iron Works:

1 qt white vinegar
1 qt ammonia
1 cup lemon juice
1 tbs salt.

Clean alloy then spray on. it will turn in a few minutes.


There was another method where you cleaned it, then dunked it in salt water, then suspended the part by string in a can with the bottom covered by ammonia. I'v used that method, but can't seem to locate it. And I don't recall all the details.