Gallery, Projects and General > How do I??
aged brass?
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jb3cx:
Got to agree with dmiom,ammonia is the best ,I use it all the time ,to age small brass fittings for lamps ect ,put the amonia in a receptical ( a clear one is best as you can see the colour you require without taking the cloth off ) and suspend the part above the ammonia and cover with a cloth for the best results ,the longer you leave it the darker it gets ,leave it to long and it will go black .
Hope this helps
Peter
awemawson:
Ammonia ..... same chemical ..... different source  .....   :lol:
angus:
thanks all.... can get ammonia at work :)
Manxmodder:

--- Quote from: jb3cx on October 19, 2016, 04:08:26 PM ---Got to agree with dmiom,ammonia is the best ,I use it all the time ,to age small brass fittings for lamps ect ,put the amonia in a receptical ( a clear one is best as you can see the colour you require without taking the cloth off ) and suspend the part above the ammonia and cover with a cloth for the best results ,the longer you leave it the darker it gets ,leave it to long and it will go black .
Hope this helps
Peter

--- End quote ---

I have a number of really old engineering books and in one there is a diagram and text describing very much the same technique as you're using. The diagram shows brass parts suspended from a wooden support arm by string with a petri dish containing ammonia placed beneath and the parts and dish are then covered with a bell jar while the ammonia vapour does its thing.

When we talk of ageing brass I think that a certain amount of de-zincification is what is needed to achieve the authentic patina of age.

I say this because a chap I met some years ago made replica brass gasolier lamp fittings and he was always on the hunt for old brass tubing. He pointed out that the very old stuff bore a fine surface pitting that had been caused by the zinc being corroded out by many years of atmospheric exposure.

He did also use chemical ageing techniques to give new brass stock this same pitted patina......OZ.
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