I might have just invented something! ...well, I'm sure
somebody in the history of the world must have thought of this as well, but if they didn't, I'm calling it my original discovery!
To create patina on metals you normally use some harsh chemicals that usually have no place being used outside a laboratory or a factory, but I noticed eggs put out what must be sulfur gas that tarnishes sterling silver silverware, and that got me thinking,
what else does it tarnish?....
So! Here's a step-by-step guide on creating a fake antique.... or just steampunk stuff.
- The first step is to clean up the piece to be patinated. I used Brasso on this candlestick and then thoroughly rinsed it with water.
- Next, hardboil some eggs! (put them in water in a pot and bring to a boil; turn off the heat as the water starts to boil and let it sit for 15 minutes)
I cooked 3 eggs: Two for the experiment, one for myself!
- Break and peel off the egg shells and cut the eggs in half to expose the yolk. Put them in an airtight container with your brass piece and close it up right away. I used a Ziploc bag.
- Let it sit for several hours at room temperature. After one hour I had already noticed oxidization on the surface of the brass, but I let mine sit overnight.
- After about 9 hours, this is the result! Dispose of the eggs (they sat overnight at room temperature, don’t eat them!) and wash the brass thoroughly, but don’t scrub it with anything abrasive or you risk damaging the patina.
I suspect this method should work with most alloys containing copper, and varying the time and the amount of eggs you use might give you a lighter or darker patina. I wonder what neat colors I can achieve mixing up other common foods that put out gases that interact with the copper in the alloy!
