Elemental Metal Creations Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Is there a pickling solution that can be used on copper that will leave it bright and shiny? I have used vinegar but the copper comes out a dull red color.I have watched videos where they show a piece after pickling that is bright but don't say whether they polished it or not. Also can oxalic acid be used for pickling copper and brass? I have a couple of pounds left from cleaning quartz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuge Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Sparex is the go to for non ferrous metals. As long as your metal is sanded properly, it will polish easily, but you will typically pickle before sanding. Sorry, things don't come out of the pickle shiny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Greetings Elemental, I have found a large dose of elbow grease works well, Chemistry only takes off oxides and does not make it shine. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin W Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 PH down ( pool chemical from a big box store) is 97% sodium bisulfate , the active ingredient in sparex, at a fraction of the cost. Oxalic acid, I don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavala Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Ph down pool cleaner will make it shiny as a new penny. Mix with very hot water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
781 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Oh down always makes mine dull pink but that is the pickel to use I buy it at Walmart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Sparex #2; IIRC sparex #1 is for steel. If your pieces are small enough an old crock pot makes a good pickling container---ceramic and you can use it to heat it up for faster action. (and as mentioned pH down is pretty much the same stuff) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinobi Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 in my experience pickeling (i use sparex) will leave you with a somewhat satin surface that is a sort of reddish pink, the acid is eating away the oxides in the surface of the metal, leaving a porous, grainy surface (through my 10x loupe anyway). you will always have to polish the surface afterwards to get it to be shiny (mirrored). the little twisted copper sculpture in post #15 of this thread was plenty oxidized from multiple annealings, and picked for probably way too long (cold pickle is a lot less efficient than warm pickle), low quality pic but you can see its far from shiny. http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/28672-jewelry-anyone/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elemental Metal Creations Posted April 12, 2013 Author Share Posted April 12, 2013 Thats what I thought. Thanks to all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamurlane6 Posted April 14, 2013 Share Posted April 14, 2013 pickle then a good buff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 We use a chem process at work to deburr, and brighten parts. BeCu alloys look like they are gold plated when they come out. Problem is ,is that Rosheen is some nasty stuff, and needs proper facilities to use it. Chromic, nitric, and other acids make up the mix,and it needs to be heated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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