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leaf bracelet


nicole

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Hi all, here is another bracelet I made from my first mokume billet. I think it need to be a tad bit longer for the best visual when it is worn, and so starting with my wrist I will learn how long a part needs to be before bending around the form.  I have a question: does anybody have a favorite patina recipe that will make this really pop?    Background: this mokume is copper/cuprous nickel.  The patina I used was by fuming it in a bag with ammonia and sodium chloride.  I have found a number of recipes for other patinas, but anyone that has a favorite, I would love to hear about it. 

Nicole

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It's looking pretty nice Nicole. I'm not a big fan of patination on mokume but that's a matter of taste. You might consider looking into Raku pottery glazes. They are copper compounds that color by various levels of oxidization is the glazing process. They paint on the glaze, heat it in a low temp kiln and put it in a container filled with material that will smoke. News paper is common, straw, cloth, etc. etc.

 

I played with the heat it and put it in a reducing environment technique on some forged copper pieces I was messing with. Results were very unpredictable but some were spectacular. I'd resume this avenue of experimentation were I to get into Mokume, I like spectacularly unpredictable but that's me.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

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That came out pretty gray and not real eye-catching.  Try polishing it up a little and leaving the existing finish in the low spots... see how that develops!  Each piece is kind of a trial and error experience... but you get better as you go!  Don't settle for blasé stuff, keep tweaking and backtracking until you get something exciting!  

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Frosty, thanks I will see what I can find. I like playing with chemicals.  Bigfoot, I agree- today I tried fuming it in ammonia once more, and that did seem to intensify the pattern, but overall it is muddled and does not have the kind of stark contrast I hope to find.   Maybe a few more billets? :)

N

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Polish up the surface real bright to put some shine on the nickel, then put it in whatever you are using for pickle (or vinegar, just a weak acid) to take the shine off the copper parts. Then apply your patina. I haven't delved too deeply into the chemical side, but I have had some good results with the torch and oxide patinas. You should be able to get some good color on the copper without severely darkening the nickel, which makes for a pretty near contrast :)

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TYVM Chinobi- my "surface prep" was a small cratex wheel on a dremel type tool.. and then I popped it in the ammonia bag.  I am wondering now if the wheel muddled the surface and/or left a residue behind that interfered.  I will clean the piece up, pickle and repatinate, see how it goes!

N

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I looked up the cratex wheels and it doesn't seem to be treated with anything, if you think the rubber is transferring that would leave uneven color in blotches or streaks. Wash the piece down with soap(like dawn or anything that doesn't have moisturizers in it, that will just deposit a fresh film of crud after you strip the original!) and water and scrub it with a soft toothbrush if necessary. Dry with a lint free towel and try to avoid touching it with your bare hands until you get it into your patina. Fingerprints can show up sometimes :)

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Just my  opinion,  I notice that the pattern runs lengthwide against the leaf vein cuts.  With the dark of the cuts one way, and the dark of the etched copper flowing  the other, they clash and muddy that area. 

 

One possible way to counter that affect is to polish the leaf face, removing the patina from the face of the leaf, while leaving it on the stem and reverse surface of the leaf, leaving the leaf light,  with the only dark being the shadows from the viening you cut in.

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Chinobi thanks-  I am a bit of a barbarian. I sandblasted the piece, LOL.  Then I buffed it on a wheel and wiped down with acetone.  I tried a patina with sodium chloride, acetic acid, ammonium hydroxide and ammonium chloride that was "supposed" to give purple :) but ended up with a rose color..interesting.. but at the end of the day I think the pattern is too fine. Steve- I am going to try your idea- it really makes a lot of sense..I want to try and avoid overworking the look. Patrick thank you I will play with both FeCl3 and some heat- I have used flame techniques on plain copper and enjoyed the effect...maybe I will try it on just the leaf. Onward :)

Nicole

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