Making new copper look old

[winchman]

Just made a desk lamp from an old trophy how can I age the new copper?

 

[julianf]

ammonia will blacken it.
adding salt brings out the blues / greens

 

[winchman]

Thanks how much of each and where can I buy ammonia?

 

[julianf]

I've no real idea. Last time I did it, I was in a lab, using brass - but its the copper bit that gives the nice colouration.

Probably some sort of cleaner will have ammonia in it. Vile smell though.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Here you go..........

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=https://www.go...7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#q=ammonia&tbm=shop

 

[julianf]

Your search - https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ammonia&oq=amonia&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l5 ... - did not match any documents.

hehe

 

[rtbcomp]

You used to be able to get ammonia from hardware shops & chemists, it was used as a domestic cleaner. Things may be different now due to anti-bombmaking measures.

 

[colnerov]

There's ammonia in urine.

 

[julianf]

There's ammonia in urine.

Probably not enough for a quick job though, but possibly worth trying.

 

[brightspark]

Thanks how much of each and where can I buy ammonia?

pee on it

 

[pedrobedro]

Stand it in my airing cupboard, all the copper pipes in there have gone green There are ammonia based cleaners available and you can buy it from chemical suppliers in 33% solution. B&Q has it as well

 

[rtbcomp]

I had a car battery fail and all the copper pipes nearby turned black with the hydrogen sulphide, so crack some rotten eggs over it and wash off with pee.

 

[rtbcomp]

That probably depends if the black is copper oxide or copper sulphide. I've noticed that some colours of car cable insulation can turn bright copper black.

 

[outofthefire]

You can get ammonia from ebay

 

[outofthefire]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=a...0.8402j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=1

 

[dannyp]

Flux makes copper corrode after a while if you don't clean it off.

 

[rtbcomp]

^^ Fry's certainly does - I assembled some heating pipes, cleaned the ends and applied flux, ready to solder up next day. When I came back all the ends had turned green and I had to start all over again!